Shards Of Time
by RandomButLoved
Summary: Ciren lives the perfect life as a Gerudo under the command of her King, Ganondorf. However, when Destiny soon changes her life by forcing her away from her homeland in search of answers over her King's real intentions, she'll find out more than she was expecting. Can she really trust a mere boy with a Fairy and the Princess of Hyrule? And can she betray the King she looks up to?
1. Chapter 1: Favour

_**Summary:**_ Ciren lives her life in the depths of Gerudo Valley as a Purple, thinking that she knows all about her life with her friends close to her. And yet event arise with the King that she forever looks up to, and she soon realises that everything in her life has been far from the truth. Now on her own, Ciren must scour the land in search of answers under Destiny's wing to uncover the truth.

_**Extra Note:**_ Luz is Spanish for "Light" and Alivio is Spanish for "Relief".

_'Two vast and trunkless legs of stone_  
_Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,_  
_Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,_  
_And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,_  
_Tell that its sculptor well those passions read_  
_Which yet survive.'_

-Ozymandias, P.B. Shelley-

Shards Of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 1: Favour

_Darkness. Darkness everywhere. I do not know of where I am, but it seems somehow familiar to my senses. My whole body is unnaturally shaking, yet there is no cold breeze nor is there anything here to send me into a fit of quaking. I attempt to search the surrounding area, though something is stopping me: a force with immeasurable strength for me to prevail against._

_And yet another force suddenly washes past my right side without any warning, knocking me to the ground harshly. By the time I look upwards to see what rushed past me, the outline of a tall male form is highlighted by tendrils of green has appeared; greener than the forests which I have heard so much about. "The Saviour..." A voice whispers through the shadows, sending shivers down my spinal cord._

_The Saviour draws a blade as I rise back onto my feet, their aura strong to myself before fading. I am about to feel as if I am alone to the world when another force strikes me to the non-existent ground once more. Bright blue tendrils of light draws my attention over to more feminine built form, although their height is still rather tall. A feeling of regal power and infinitive wisdom surrounds their body as another voice speaks; sounding slightly older than the other voice. "The Wise..."_

_The Wise figure draws an arrow back, firing it towards an area behind he before disappearingr; causing a large mass of red light to follow the arrow and form what could be the final figure. They seem to be broadly built and male once more, taller than the other two forms and filled with arrogant power as the third voice speaks with their own sense of pride. "The Empowered..."_

_The Saviour as well as The Wise reappear and turn to The Empowered and attack automatically. The Empowered, filled with greed and hatred, strike the other two forms down and draw twin scimitars – aiming them straight at me. The voices speak outwards in unison. "Beware of The Empowered, oh Brave Youth... find the King's secrets."_

_As soon as The Saviour and The Wise fade away, the three lights trail off into nothingness as The Empowered drives the scimitars through my stomach and my shoulder before I can get onto my feet and flee. The Empowered holds me close as their amber eyes sparkle with amusement. "My beautiful Desert Flower..."_

_I look skywards to meet their gaze, my eye wide with freight in realisation. "K-King Ganondorf?" The form fades away when I try to wriggle free of their grip, leaving me to bleed out in confusion over why my King would want to harm others and even myself: one of his many followers..._

* * *

"Ciren, come on! Get your ass out of bed!" With a cry, I bolt upright and slam my forehead into something incredibly hard. The world comes flying back to me in a flourish of light as well as pain, and my hand automatically flies to my stomach along with my shoulder – finding no pain in either of those areas, only in my head.

I frantically search around for those figures or the voices, realising that I whacked my head off of the bunk bed above me, yet all I find is Nisah hanging upside down from her bunk with an unimpressed complexion. Her elbow rests on the side of the bunk, her chin on her palm too; something that she almost always does.

"Ow! Farore!" I hiss, holding my hands onto my aching head as I fall back onto my mattress; air spewing outwards from the force of it as I pass her an angry look. "What the _Hell_, Nisah?"

Her waterfall of crimson hair falls around her face, her golden eyes gleaming in amusement. "You woke me up from my beauty sleep with your shouting, for the love of Din!" I roll my eyes at her. "I swear, how much longer are you going to keep doing this for? You've been doing this for two weeks now."

I sigh and roll out of bed, the light brown bed sheet following me as I go. "I don't know, Nisah... I honestly don't know." I huff, rubbing my face and eyes tiredly. "What's the time?"

"Time for you to get your ass out of bed." I toss her a look as she leaps off of the top bunk and throws a bundle of clothes to me. I barely manage to catch them before they hit me straight in the face. "Seriously, though, you've got about ten minutes until we need to head out for guard duty around the front of the Fortress."

She smirks at the look on my face. We _cannot_ be late for our duties! "Nisah, why didn't you yell before you realised that we were going to be late?!"

"Oh stop it, you worry wart!" She snorts. "Oh, and I need to talk to you about something later. Find me back in here after out duties!"

And on that, she just waltzes out of the room without anything else to say on the matter – picking up her own purple uniform and her naginata with her as she does so – leaving me alone in the silent room. "What am I going to do with her?" I can't help but ask myself aloud as I stare at the creased clothes in my hands.

Nisah and I have been the best of friends ever since I can remember, which isn't very far really. I don't remember much of when I was younger, and Nisah doesn't even remember being younger either. She merely remembers someone introducing me to her one day, and now it's become this: her becoming my alarm clock and a real sister that I never had.

_But what in the name of Farore did she want to talk to me about later?_ I ask myself in concern, only to shrug it off after a few moments. _She'll tell me, or I'll beat it out of her like the loving Sister that I am._

With a deep sigh, I resolve to change here when I see that no other Purples are in here. Stripping off my night clothes, I slip the deep purple uniform across my tanned skin and tie back my fiery red hair; covering part of my face with the same material used in my uniform. Taking one last moment to tame my hair, I grab my naginata and head out of the room finally; breaking into a jog past my other Sisters and out into the ten o'clock light before I miss my guard duties.

* * *

I let my eyes slip shut as I pivot back around to continue on with my guard duties, the bright sun shining the warm rays of light already onto my tanned skin. Nisah is guarding the inside of the Fortress, while I have to watch the outside of the Fortress with Izia and Jazperi; also Purples. I've been guarding since ten o'clock and it's nearly midday, only two hours of four into my shift.

In the far distance, my ears pick up the sound of scimitars clashing – something that I've grown used to over the years of being here – as well as the hooves of numerous horses coliding with the dusty ground. If I wasn't stuck here guarding the Fortress, then I would be out fighting with Nisah and the other Gerudo; but I cannot.

The good old days where Nisah and I would pull pranks all over the Fortress is nothing but a memory lost to the winds now, nothing more than a memory of younger days. Those were the days where getting scolded by the Whites didn't faze either of us from putting more Deku Nuts into Aveil's shoes.

I sigh deeply. _Those were the days..._

The scent of heavy spicy incense and the bonfires already lit stream into my nostrils so harshly that I sneeze loudly, hearing Izia laughing at the sound of my animalistic sneeze. I must have been cursed by Din herself when I comes to my sneezes, I swear.

Lost in a trance of the past, I barely notice some strands of my hair coming loose before they are stuck across my parched tongue. The uncomfortable taste is enough to snap me out of the daze for a few moments to pull them out, remembering that I haven't had a drink yet today, before I tumble back into my wonderful daydream.

"_Beware of The Empowered, oh Brave Youth..."_ I clench the naginata tightly at the thought of my dream. I feel my anxiousness taking over from the nightmare Nisah woke me up from a few hours back, and I can't help but struggle to believe the accusations made out within my dream or to just ignore them like every other dream.

The Empowered from my dream was made out to be Ganondorf, the King who I have hailed since birth. The tribe in which he leads is the Gerudo, the all female tribe – except for the single man born every one hundred years – that hail in the desert located in the western part of Hyrule, within the Gerudo Valley and the Gerudo Fortress.

Still, being that he is the only male Gerudo living now, Ganondorf was forced to take on the role of Kingship ever since he was very young. He is our superior to us, and nothing but that; so I guess he really does fit the title of "The Empowered".

And yet, I can't help but feel some sort of truth lurking deep within the words of those voices. Lately Ganondorf has been wanting for us to be working more on combat rather than regular theory work, not allowing us much time to socalise with our Sisters like usual, and has been trying to form alliances with the King of Hyrule along with the Zoras, Gorons and Sheikahs.

_Something isn't right_, I can't help but shudder as the thought enters my mind. Most of his time is spent away from us, which is something incredibly different to past Kings of the Gerudo, especially in his office at the very summit of the Fortress.

That isn't the weirdest part, however, as I have been hearing the strangest of things when I pass by his office at night on my guard duties. A lot of the time, I can hear loud chanting eminating from his office in a language that I have never heard of before – and even speak of three golden triangle relics which unnerves me even thinking about it.

The sacred triangles he must be talking about is those in the Legends of the Golden Goddesses. The legends state that three Golden Goddesses descended onto the world of chaos and formed peace within it. The Goddesses had numerous roles within the formation of the world we know of today, and we thank them all for everything which they have done.

Din, the Goddess of Power, cultivated the land of turmoil and created the "red earth" with her strong flaming arms. Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, poured her infinate knowledge onto the earth and creatd the spirit of law to hold peace in the new world. And Farore, the Goddess of Courage, structured the life forms that would hold up Nayru's law in Din's land.

With their labours finally complete, the three Goddesses ascended back to their places in the heavens above to watch over their new world – a sacred golden relic of the three golden triangles, the ones that Ganondorf speaks of a lot in his office, left at the very point which the Goddesses left our world. This location is now commonly known as the Sacred Realm.

Farore, the Green Goddess, is said to always favour the forest in the south of Hyrule over anything else; as all is natural there in those lands, and nothing man-made can harm it. Nayru, the Blue Goddess, has favoured the lake at the very bottom of the Valley which we live in; as all is pure in those waters.

And Din, the Red Goddess which we Gerudo worship the most of all of the Goddesses, favours our land most over everything else. Many believe that this is mainly because the red earth described in the legends looks mostly like the area where we live.

Although it may seem that I know a lot of the world of Hyrule outside of Gerudo Valley and the Desert, no Green or Purples are allowed to leave the premises until they have become a Red and are permitted to go into Hyrule so they can reproduce. As I am only a mere Purple in the rankings, I am no where near being a Red just yet – so I am kind of stuck here.

Still, that isn't all there is to the current King of Gerudos. When he can actually be around us, he's just like any other father-figure around our Sisters; playing with the younger Gerudo, and holding feasts in the rainy season for us to "bond" even more than we have already. Yet he seems to miss a lot of these, even when he was the one who is supposed to host the feasts

Whenever he _does_ seem to be around, however, there is always this one look that he gives to me in particular; and I cannot seem to fully interpret what this means. It's a look that represents how empowered his is in this tribe, and how I will never hope to overthrow the amount of power in which he holds.

But by the time his eyes have shift to another fellow Gerudo, all of that arrogance fades from his complexion and he continue on with this act that he holds up to everyone but me. Why does he only give me this look, and never hands it to anyone else? How am I different from the rest of my Sisters?

_Something isn't right at all_, I can't help but confirm for myself as I pivot back around across the earthy surface.

Another few strands of red hair gets trapped in my mouth, and I am forced to halt for a few moments so I can cast my mind back to the current task at hand: getting these Goddess-damned bits of hair from out of my mouth.

"For the love of Nayru..." I swear to myself when I finally brush the hair aside. "I should never get ready in a rush, and I wouldn't have to deal with stuff like this." When I finally straighten, however, I find a figure strolling towards me with a dead Leever in one hand and a long scimitar in the other. My mouths falls open a little when I realise who it is.

Nabooru, Ganondorf's second-in-command.

She's a White, the highest of all Gerudos. There are four levels in the Gerudo race: Green, Purple, Red and White. You become a Green at eight years old: merely doing theory work, a Purple – which most of us are – at eleven: going more into guarding the Fortress, a Red at fifteen: going into the full work of theory and combat, and a White at eighteen: which are only for Gerudos who are the strongest, and there are only about seven of them.

Nabooru is the only White with long hair, as she earned it by outmatching even King Ganondorf in combat; which is no small feat. As I'm only twelve, I can't take the Trial to become a Red for a few years – so I'm stuck guarding the Fortress until then.

She stands tall before me, and I bow deeply in respect towards her. "Great Nabooru, I am honoured..."

She holds her hand up towards me when I straighten, silencing me half way through my sentence. "Ciren, I must ask a favour of you that cannot be spoken of in public." She whispers so faintly that I barely hear it. When her voice raises, she acts as if nothing has been said already. "I must escort you to my chambers immediately."

As soon as this is said, she raises her chin upwards in pride and begins moving towards one of the entrances of the Fortress; myself close behind as I get looks from the White outside the Gerudo Training Ground and the other Purples on guard. I do not know why I have been suddenly summoned by someone like Nabooru, but a sensation of excitement as I follow her with a straight back.

* * *

"I apologise for my bluntness back there, Ciren. I'm not technically supposed to be here with you, especially while you were on guard, but I have no other choice." Nabooru says casually with her feet up on her mahogany desk, gesturing to the red plush seat in front of the table.

I've never been in Nabooru's chambers before, let alone anyone elses but my own and the Green's chambers when I was one. The large, rectangular room is lined with numerous bookshelves filled to the brim with the Gerudo culture and history that all Whites should know; the two windows behind the desk lets in the sunlight gracefully.

I nod and hesitantly sit down in the red chair, pulling the material away from my face and not knowing what to say other than: "There was no mistake made, Nabooru. I am simply honoured that you have taken the time to speak with me."

She raises an eyebrow at me as she leans across the large desk to light some incense sticks, the wonderful smell already filling my nose and bringing my sense of smell to life. "Either I've gone too heavy on the incense, or he's really done a number on you." I tilt my head at her. _What?_ She shakes her head suddenly, her eyes flashing with realisation over what she had said. "I apologise. I don't know what came over me to say that."

I shake my head. "It is fine, Nabooru." I look downwards and twiddle with my fingers. "What did you need me for?"

She waits for a few moments to see if I am going to say something, only to stop after a while and continues on. "Yes, I do have to ask something big of you to do." She pauses for a logn time, trying to figure out how to say this. "I need for you to go into the Spirit Temple in the Desert Colossus when the moon is at its zenith."

"What?"

She ignores my question. "I have my suspicions over the King's intentions with our tribe, and I believe that you are the one that can help me confirm it. Obviously you may take someone with you, but only a person that you can trust. I have allowed for you to take the rest of the day off to prepare, but no word is to go around about this." She pauses. "Are you willing to do this?"

The Spirit Temple is an area in the Desert Colossus, a place that you must cross the Haunted Wasteland to get find it, and we have lost many Gerudo from those trying to get into the area. The Spirit Temple is only accessible to the Whites and the King, and any other levels who go in there and get caught are severely punished; though many have tried it and slipped through the net.

Yes, I have always wanted to go into the Spirit Temple just so I can show that any level of the Gerudo race is capibable of going across the Haunted Wasteland and into the Spirit Temple. I take in a deep breath, the incense entering my body so heavily that I cough harshly.

_I am a Purple. Even if I am doing it underneath Nabooru's orders, I am still a Purple._ "I... no." She's clearly taken back by my response, obviously wanting me to say "yes". "As much as I want to help you, I can't risk getting myself and my companion in trouble with His Highness – as well as you – when I have to tell him that it was you who told me to go in there. It doesn't feel right to do it."

Her shoulders slump in defeat. "He really _has_ changed you."

"Why do you keep saying that?" I demand, rising from my seat despite my lower level compared to her. "_Nobody_ has "changed me", and you might as well get a Red or a White to go and do the dirty work instead." As much as I would be scorned for ignoring the orders of a White, I turn on my heel and ready myself to leave without her permission when something halts me.

I reach out for the curtain used instead of a door when the voices say quietly in unison: _"Find the King's secrets."_ I find myself straightening more than I ever have as their power flows into me, filling me to the brim with the confidence that I need. _The dream must have been prothetic if today has been so significant from it._

I feel myself turning very cautiously back towards Nabooru, a deep sensation of tension filling within the pit of my stomach as I do so. She watches me with a raised eyebrow, inwardly wondering why my sudden outburst has backfired without much of a warning. A smirk creases my face as the Gerudo within me returns with my answer.

"Consider me in."

* * *

"She asked you to do _what_?!" Nisah gasps with incredibly wide eyes. We stand in the supply closet, a room so small that we are forced to stand incredibly close together; the stench in here from the cleaning supplies making my gag reflex act up. I barely got Nisah out of her guard duties, with Nabooru's help of course, and I needed to get her somewhere safe where no one would hear us.

Apparently this was the compromise...

I nod in agreement. "Yeah." I say quietly, checking the hallway to see if anyone is there – coming up with no one. "And I get the rest of the day off to prepare for it." I pause for a moment, looking away before forcing myself to look back up at her expectant eyes. "I wanted to ask... Nisah, will you come with me?"

She watches me for a moment, her golden eyes trying to figure out what her answer will be. After a few moments, however, she finally responds with an: "Of course!" and hugs me tightly. "I can't leave you to get eaten by Leevers, now, could I?" I let out a deep sigh of relief as I smile as hug her back, feeling a massive weight off of my shoulders.

We stand there for a long time, the friendly bond that we have shared ever since we were kids growing between us with every second that passes. All of today's events, no matter how important they are to me, seem to fade away when I'm around people who I can trust; and I like it.

"We have ages left until we can set off into the Haunted Wasteland, Nisah." I say quietly. "We should go and start getting our things together for the trip." She nods at me and we step out into the empty hallway, still checking anyway if people are around who heard us. I have the unnerving feeling that someone may have heard us. "I do want to go to the Stables first, though, if that's okay."

_I chose the best place to have a private chat. I really should have gone to the Bath House while everyone else is on duty. No one could have bothered us then._

She smirks at me, pointing straight at me in accusation. "Whatever you do, don't fall asleep." I roll my eyes and silently nod, smiling a little myself. She turns on her heel and carts in the opposite direction. I roll my eyes at her shrinking figure before going in the opposite direction to her and back into the gorgeous daylight.

After a few moments of becoming lost in a trance, I finally shake my thoughts away from that of Nabooru's favour as well as the nightmare from this morning and slip back out of the tiny room; moving in the complete oposite direction of Nisah and down the wide corridor, down a set of large steps and past a group of three gossiping Greens.

"The King wants us to attend a feast with him tomorrow, isn't it exciting?!" One of them – Lizani, I think – sqeuals in delight. They all stand against the wall at the bottom of the steps, and I immidiately act like my shoe is coming undone so I can kneel down and hear more.

It isn't long before another says: "I know! I really do miss the King sometimes..." Their voice is small and quiet, and I don't really think they sound like a Green – maybe even younger – but I didn't see anyone without a Gerudo uniform. _Strange..._ "I'll need to find some jewellery to stand out from the rest of you, though. Serise, you have to help me!"

Classic Gerudo. "I'll need to find something" generally means: "Who can I steal from first?"

"Oi, Ciren!" I snap my head over at them, straightening when I "fix my shoe". "Heard you got out of duty today. How the Hell did you pull that and how can I do it?" Amnita, one of the newest Green, asks with a hand on her hip; causing commotion to break out with the other Greens – which the one who I didn't think was a Green actually is a Red.

I find myself smirking at her and winking. "That's for me to know and for you to never find out."

Amnita calls out for me loudly as I cart off, laughing like an idiot as I break out into the brilliant sunlight on the second-to-top floor. I slow as I move around the edges of the Fortress, finding the outside part of this level mixing in with the dirt path which leads into the Horseback Archery Range.

Smiling to myself, I semi-skip across the warm stone and onto the earthy pathway towards the ravine-like area; seeing Genna, another White, standing underneath a large canopy to shield herself from the heat. She strokes the mane of her grey horse: Alivio, and waves a little when she sees me. I wave back at her as I walk over to the right, heading underneath a thick shelter of rock and into the busy – yet very open – Stables.

The Stables is rather circular-shaped, outlined with numerous stables and an open space in the centre for us to take our horses out of here. I scan the area, feeling rather content with the gentle neighing of the mares and stallions here; spotting my own horse in the very left stable.

Dodging a few Reds and horses speeding towards the exit, I leap over the gate into Luz's stable; not bothering to physically open the gate myself. His dark eyes sparkle with delight when he sees me, shoving his nose into me for a fuss. "I'm sorry, boy." I apologise softly as I rub my finger across the white tufts of hair on the bridge of his nose. "I've missed you too."

Because the King has been lengthening our guard duties, and those stupid nightmares have been plaguing my sleep, I have been seriously neglecting Luz and my riding in general. And I've missed him a lot, as our bond stretches back from when I was little – knowing him sence my memory fades into a misty cloud of nothingness.

I hoist his light brown saddle over the fencing, holding it in front of him. "Can I make it up to you?" My chestnut horse nickers playfully, allowing me to strap the saddle into place across his body and mess with his black mane lovingly – fixing his bridle into place too. I grab my bow and quiver that shouldn't be stashed in here, tying the quiver around my waist and holding tightly onto my bow after pulling the strands of hay from off of the string.

Pushing the gate open, I leap onto Luz with a grunt and nudge his sides softly. We edge out of the small fenced area carefully so I can force the gate shut behind me. Patting Luz's neck, he bursts into movement when I kick his sides once again – the wind catching my hair as soon as we break into the Horseback Archery Range.

Later on, I'll have to either go on foot through the Haunted Wasteland – which is nearly impossible from what I've heard – or I'll have to take Luz. As much as I don't want to put Luz in that much danger, the odds of getting to the Desert Colossus on foot is even slimmer. And I can't take that chance.

Voices of the three from my dream whisper into my mind, but I can't make out what their saying exactly. Shaking my head, they quieten a little – yet still haunt me – as Luz and I take on the Archery Range and head down past the Fortress; going into the Valley and towards the ravine which I will forever wish to cross someday.

I pull the reigns upwards by the very edge of it, peering down into the crystaline waters of the river leading into Lake Hylia. I wonder what it would be like to swim in those waters, and to roam across the Golden Land of Hyrule without the fear of being taken back to your homeland for disobeying the rules; attaining severe punishments for it.

"One day, Luz, we'll go across this bridge and be completely free." I tell the world on the other side of the bridge, grabbing Luz's attention; who makes a small sound of agreement. "One day..."


	2. Chapter 2: Prophecies

_**Extra Note:**_ Caballo is "Horse" in Spanish, and Luna is the name of the Goddess of the Moon.

'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.'

-Eleanor Roosevelt-

Shards of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 2: Prophecies

~Interlude~

_Dark clouds billowed across the skies without any care in the world. With every grumble of thunder and clap of lightning, the ground shook like an earthquake had struck Farore's sweet earth. Zelda hugged her body as tightly as she could, no other protection around for her to pursue. The rain poured heavily down in thick, icy sheets – and she knew that something unnatural had caused this._

_The thick stamping of hooves and metal on metal clashing harshly was suddenly sounded, and she spun around in the barren land of grass when cackling was heard from behind her. Two hunched over figures in the air joined one much larger figure with a much straighter back. They controlled the clouds billowing above, and their dark aura sent shiver's down Zelda's spine._

_She searched around desperately for salvation, yet none was to be found. Tears stung at the very edges of her eyes, and she began running faster than she had ever ran before __–_ trying her hardest not to cry as she tripped over a tiny_—_

_A light exploded from the land north of her, and she almost cried out at the light penetrating her pupils with such a harsh concentration. She couldn't help but look away as the figures descended from over her, cuddling her body in a tight ball as the wet mud stained her white clothes; staining her life along with it._

_Yet those figure never touched her..._

_She jumped when a screech of pain sounded from above her, although she couldn't help but uncurl herself just a little to see what had occurred within her surroundings. From where the light had come from before, the force of the holy light had parted the dark clouds and lit up the ground; revealing three things ahead of her that her eyes could not help but fall on._

_The first was a figure, walking slowly from out of a forest with a small sword in his hand. The second was a green Stone in his hand that glittered from the light that had emerged and radiated out from the forest; a Stone which Zelda knew was the sacred Kokiri's Emerald from legend. The third was a glowing orb flying above the figure's shoulder: a Guardian Fairy, Zelda assumed._

_She opened her mouth to call out for the figure when a shadow fell over her petite form, causing her to spin around on the grassy terrain and wait for the darkness to consume her fully this time..._

Then she bolted upright with a cry, her thick duvet sheets following her as she moved so abruptly. A thick sheen of sweat had formed over her eyebrows, and she felt a nervous tremor in her hands already being set off from the nightmare. Her breath was drawn forth out of her body in short rasps, no where being close to her normal breathing rate.

_It's happening again_, she told myself with a strong shudder as she swallowed thickly. _Father... I have to tell Father that we are in trouble!_ She wasted no time in leaping out of her bed, her bare feet colliding with the soft red carpet as she rushed over to the large door. The two guards outside of her room turned to Zelda when she opened the door, concern filling their eyes. "Your Grace, are you...?"

"I am well, thank-you." She assured them. "I just need to take a walk." The guard on the right opened their mouth to object, but the guard on the left held their hand up and let her go. "Thank-you." As soon as they were out of her sight, Zelda broke into a sprint towards the staircase – her feet slapping off the oak flooring softly as she went.

She raced up the cold steps and further onward towards Father's room until she dashed around a corner and collided with someone. She gasped loudly, craning her neck up so much to see silver hair tied back in a tight bun and crimson eyes watching her in surprise. "Zelda, Your Grace, what are you doing up at such a late hour?"

Zelda hugged the woman tightly, her hands beginning to shake again a little. "Impa..." She said softly. "I had that dream again, and I just know that it means something!" She tried her best to break free so she could continue on with her quest to find Father and alert him. "I need to go and—"

"Princess." Impa held out her arm, blocking Zelda fully from moving; Impa's height compared to Zelda's not really help either. "I know that you usually have prophetic dreams, and that this particular dream has significance to this time, _but_," Zelda frowned at her. "You must not be up at this hour when you all need rest."

The Princess let her shoulders slump forwards. "But Impa—"

"No, Princess." Impa cut in. "Your Father must rest, as do you. He is due to have a very important meeting with the King of the Gerudo tomorrow, and he must have his sleep. You know how much these sorts of meetings drain him." The Princess nodded slightly, not wanting to give up so easily. "I am sure that you will be able to speak with His Highness after the meeting is dismissed, all right?"

Zelda let her Guardian guide her back towards her bedroom, the deathly cold silence lingering around her as she thought back to her dream. _My dreams say many things_, she thought to herself. _There will be a saviour from the Forest, a person wishing to take ultimate power over Hyrule in the Desert, as well as a saviour in the Desert too. This makes no sense!_

Impa tucked her back into bed, and she watched as the shafts of moonlight slipped in through the door onto her balcony; the thin curtains swaying from the slightly open door. Impa placed a hand on the Princess's forehead with a soft smile. "Go to sleep, Princess. You need your rest after being up so late for the past few nights. I am positive that everything will be just fine."

_I wish that you could be right, Impa. . ._

* * *

The Great Deku Tree couldn't help but shudder as another wave of coldness and despair washed over his dark roots. Trees couldn't move, only provide for the world of humans who desperately needed oxygen to survive, which meant that trees were more prone to parasites _–_ especially trees like the Great Deku Tree.

This particular parasite had only entered his sacred Domain a few hours before, how he did not know, and attempted to pry the sacred Emerald away from his strong branches. The Great Deku Tree obviously fought back, only to bring forth disastrous results.

The parasite, soon to be known as Gohma, injected its poison into the Tree and hid inside the core of the great piece of vegetation. He knew that his condition was slowly deteriorating, and his age did not help whatsoever.

The Great Deku Tree was the sole protector of the Kokiri Forest, where immortal children lived in his Domain with a carefree life. They would not grow old like he had, so he bestowed upon each of them a Guardian Fairy to protect them in case anything happened to the Great Deku Tree. They could not leave the Forest, as they would surely die without the deep magic of the Forest, yet there was one Kokiri who needed to.

He was the only child who was not affected by the magic of the Forest, as he was not born in the Tree's Domain, and was therefore not immortal. He would not die if he left the Forest, so he was chosen by the Three to become the saviour of this land _–_ and needed the Kokiri's Emerald to become that.

The Great Deku Tree's time was nigh, and he knew that the boy needed to Guardian Fairy that he never had to grow up with. It was his time.

"Navi..." He whispered into the cold air, making sure that his voice would not wake the dear children. "Navi, where art thou? Come hither..." He had to wait for an incredibly long time before the orb of energy arrived before him, the figure of the fairy mostly concealed by the light that she gave off.

She gasped at the Deku Tree's form, a soft tear falling down her cheek as she touched the Tree's nose. "Great Deku Tree..."

"Listen to me, Navi..." He hushed her. "Dost thou sense it? Dost thou sense the climax of evil descending upon this Realm of the living? These malevolent forces of darkness even now are beginning to inject their deathly toxins into the beautiful land of Hyrule. Dost thou sense it?" He watched her tiny form in wait, patiently waiting for her answer despite his current weakness.

She sobbed quietly, knowing her answer before he had even began speaking to her. "I do, Great Deku Tree, I do..."

"My Domain has been the basis of life to the Kokiri here, deterring outsiders away from this Forest of life." He continued, feeling the evil within his core. "And even now my power is as nothing against this tremendous power that threatens this land."

Navi slowly fluttered away, knowing that a horrible evil was nearly about to consume this land as well _–_ worried for the lives of those within this Realm. "What do you need me to do, Great Deku Tree? I'll do anything for you..." She couldn't suppress another sob of sadness.

"The time for the boy without his Guardian Fairy to awaken and save this land, and thou must aid him. He is the one to lead Hyrule to the path of justice and truth, and thou must help him. Find him, Navi, and bring him to me... as I have little time left in this world." He shifted his decaying branches towards the edge of his Meadow. "Fly Navi, fly! The fate of the Forest, nay, the _world_ depends on thee!"

She wiped away her tears of despair and nodded. "I will, Great Deku Tree. Stay with us for just a little longer!"

And then she was gone, leaving the Great Deku Tree alone once again. He could hear the whispers of Gohma deep within his roots, waiting for his demise to shroud upon his breath. But he would not give in until the Kokiri's Emerald had been passed on to the child of destiny, and that is when he would allow himself to be consumed once and for all.

The shafts of the morning light had begin to cut through his browning leaves, a tiny frown creasing his bark as he awaited for Navi to bring forth the child of destiny to him.

_Fly Navi, I have very little time left in this Realm now..._

* * *

~Ciren~

"Ciren!" Something jabs me in the belly as they harshly whisper my name. I wave my hand a little, touching the thing's cheek with a soft slap as I groan and roll over; shoving my face into the soft and incredibly warm mattress. "Goddess Hylia, come on Ciren! We have to go before you sleep the night away! _Again_!"

I pull the bed sheet further up onto my face, trying to block the voice _–_ which I know now is Nisah _–_ out. "I wunna sweep. . ." I mutter under my breath groggily. "Wet mwe sweep Niswha. . ." It's only a few moments later that a large force slams into my back and I am sent toppling off of the bed, my sheets following me too. "Ow, Din's Fire!"

"I had to get you up _somehow_." I slowly open my eyes and rub my face awake, noticing Nisah moving around my bed and folding her arms _–_ a triumphant smirk upon her features. She holds a hand out, but I ignore her offer and get up myself. "Come on, Ciren. The moon's up already." She passes me my bag that I tied to my bed frame earlier today after I finished riding with Luz, which is filled with Potions and extra throwing knives – just in case.

I nod at her. "I'm coming, and I'm sorry for being an apparent ass when it comes to being woken up _in the middle of the night_. For the love of Nayru, you sure love to be kind to me..."

"Of course I love to be kind to you, Ciren." Her smile only grows as she quickly adds: "And FYI, you're not an ass when it comes to being woken up in the middle of the night. You're an asshole in general." She dodges the swing I lazily throw at her. "I am rather glad that you're not fully awake, or you'd have given me a black eye now..."

I bite back a stream of swearing as I swing my bag over my shoulder and grab a hairband off of the bedside table which Nisah and I share _–_ well, she has all of the drawers and I have the small surface area on top, which I hardly call sharing. Tying my hair back, I grab my purple shoes from beneath my bed as Nisah adjusts her belt of knives and bag of Potions.

I mutter back a response moments later, only to have to repeat it when she raises an eyebrow _–_ not hearing it. "I said: you're more of an asshole than me, and you are definitely going to get it tomorrow when I'm awake."

She slings her arm across my shoulders, yet making sure that I can't move away from her. "Ah, Sisterly love." She pauses. "Now come on, we're going to be late for our date of being rebels for the night." I can't help but roll my eyes as she moves away and I pull the strap of my Uniform further up my arm, sleeping in it in case we had to go quicker than this.

Being careful not to face-plant the bunk beds like Nisah had done once, we creep past the sleeping Purples who aren't on guard silently _–_ being careful not to drop anything either so we don't get caught.

Slipping out into the corridor outside, Nisah and I creep down the corridor, splitting up halfway down so we can dodge the guards. Holding my finger up to her, I peer around the edge of the wall slightly – noticing that in the room ahead are five guards: three Green and two Purples. Looking back towards Nisah, I hold up my palm to her – representing five – and nod at her.

The room has two staircases leading outside, and a massive pot cooking what must be some Leever soup _–_ something which I am still trying to decide on how it tastes. It's obviously good for you, I think, as it's a good vegetable for us who can't buy some like people outside of the Valley can; but it's ever so lumpy in soup...

_I'm getting distracted, idiot!_

She grabs her gut and pretends that she's going to be silently sick; which I agree to without word, stepping back a few steps to hide behind one of the supply crates outside. Nisah winks at me and takes a deep breath, grabbing her stomach with white knuckles as she stumbles into the room.

I overhear her groan in pain as the rest of her Sisters gasp and run over to her from how many footsteps I can hear at once. Numerous muffled voices are sounded, and Nisah saying something about eating too many Leevers for dinner which is soon covered up by a thud. A plan formulates in my mind when I realise that the thud must have come from Nisah, and I rush into the room without another hesitation.

"Nisah?" I call out in a fake daze, spotting her "unconscious" on the ground through the crowd of Gerudo. "Nisah where—holy Din, what happened?!"

One of the Gerudo, Aveil, looks up automatically – casting me a glare that she seems to always give me when I am around, probably from the Deku Nut prank that we pulled years ago. "Just help us get her outside, Purple." She snarls at me, grabbing Nisah's arms and pushing the rest of our Sisters away so we can move. I pass them all a sympathetic complexion as I help Aveil get Nisah outside.

_Nisah should totally be an actress, I swear..._

* * *

After getting Nisah outside and into the dry breeze of the Valley, she finally "comes to". She groans loudly when the breeze pulls at her skin slightly, opening her golden eyes slightly to see us. I act worried and in mock surprise as I say: "Nisah, thank the heavens above! I thought someone had poisoned you!"

Smiling at my wink, she holds her belly and coughs weakly. "I'm sure I'll be fine. I don't think that I should have mixed that dressing in with Leevers..."

"I told you that it was Green Potion, Nisah!" I huff loudly. "Well, at least you're not burning up or anything. Thanks for helping me get her outside, Aveil." Nisah snaps her eyes over at the high Green on her knees beside me, not realising that she was there until now, flashing her a grin before gagging on absolutely nothing.

Aveil simply turns her head up and gets onto her feet. "It's nothing, Purple. Just don't do anything like that again."

On that, she simply strolls back off into the Fortress; the wind being our only form of sound until I finally speak up. As soon as Nisah's eyes lock onto mine, I help her to her feet and roll my eyes at her. "I never knew how good of an actor you were, Nisah." I praise. "Now come on, we need to find Nabooru before we're caught..."

She rolls her eyes back at me, knowing that I'll never change from being the Goody Ciren that she's friend's with, and follows me at my side in sync. Our feet patter against the earthy ground like the rain that we rarely get here, rushing towards the open gate leading towards the Haunted Wasteland: the one place that has taken a lot of Gerudo lives throughout time.

A broad smile creases my face when I notice Nabooru standing by two horses – Caballo, Nabooru's white mare, and Nisah's black horse: Luna. "Ciren, Nisah, I am glad that you have arrived so soon." Nabooru greets happily, clasping my hands tightly. "Are you ready to cross the Haunted Wasteland?"

Nisah nods from beside me and readies herself to leap up onto the black horse, but I stand put for a few moments; lost in a trance of thoughts again. _Am I actually ready to do this? What if I don't make it back? And I'll be putting Nisah in danger too..._ "Hey, Ciren!" I snap back into reality as the sound of fingers clicking in front of my face, noticing Nisah above me. "You okay?"

"Huh?" _Are you _actually_ ready to cross the Haunted Wasteland? _ I shake my head. "Oh yeah, I-I'm fine. Let's go." She raises her eyebrow at me for a moment, but a simple playful slap to her arm stops any other thoughts from being expressed. I ready myself to get up onto Luna, only to realise that I have a horse of my own.

Bringing my thumb and forefinger to my lips, I whistle out harshly for Luz – letting the breeze blow at my tied back hair a little as Luz gallops around the edge of the Gerudo Training Ground from the Horseback Archery Range – hoisting myself up onto his saddle with a grunt.

"Ready?" Nabooru asks from her place on Caballo, getting a nod from Nisah.

I nod slowly, nerves kicking in as I move my gaze to shifting sands of the Wasteland ahead. "Ready."

I kick at Luz's sides, taking off into the Haunted Wasteland, not realising just what danger we are about to get into before it literally hits me in the face. The first thing that hits me is the harsh winds of the sandstorms that always seem to kick up a fuss here, then the fact that the gate has slammed shut behind us as soon as we've gotten through.

Twisting back around at the gate, a mental sigh echoes around my mind. _Well, there's no going back now..._

I can barely see Nisah and Nabooru through the harsh winds that tear at my bare sides, and I don't even want to know what we're going to be facing when we get to the eye of the storm we are facing. I pat Luz's neck in some hopes of assuring him, knowing that he must be as scared as I am right now.

Lifting myself back up, I cover my face from the sand grains that threaten to blind me as I call out: "Where do we go?"

"Follow me!" A voice, presumably Nabooru's, calls back to us. The shadow of her and her mare moves through the Wasteland effortlessly, as if the sandstorm is parting way for her to move through. Nudging Luz's sides a little, we swing into motion and follow the moving shadows of Nabooru and my friend into the depths of night; begging to the Goddesses that we will live through this.


	3. Chapter 3: Revelation

_**Author's Note:**_ I apologise if this story seems to be going rather slowly, as I can tell myself that we won't be getting into the main game for another few chapters. I'm sorry, but I need to get some of the beginning stuff out of the way so events later on in the game is easier to understand!

*Alma is Spanish for "Soul" or "Spirit", and is what I have called the Ancient Gerudo texts later on in the chapter.

_"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but those who watch them without doing anything."_

-Albert Einstein-

Shards Of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 3: Revelation

~Link~

_Everywhere was dark, so I automatically assume that something isn't right. Before me stands a large wall of rock, two large torches illuminating a large slab of wood embedded into the wall as well. I've never, _ever_ seen something like this; and probably won't in a place like the Kokiri Forest. Something definitely isn't right, and things are surely about to get worse..._

_A loud clap and a flash of light startles me, stopping my heart completely. I spin around, trying to figure out what the flash was – as well as the grumble and shaking of the ground that soon follows. A massive creaking sound sends me whirling back around to the wall of rock and wood, watching in shock as the wood moves downwards to form a bridge of sorts. I have no idea what is going on, but I am determined to find out._

_Beyond the wall seems to be large houses, much bigger than I have ever seen in the Forest. The area beyond the wall looks even gloomier than where I am standing, which I find hard to believe, until I see something in the distance that makes the place beyond the wall a lot less gloomy._

_There is some sort of animal rushing towards me, two people mounted it. The creature is pure white, although seems a lot less hairy and angry than a Wolfos. Something certainly isn't right now, but things can't surely get stranger... can they?_

_Before the animal could get too close and harm me, however, I briskly leap out of the way like I would do if Mido ever tried to swing a punch at me – even if that made the situation worse for me as he was dodging his swings. There is suddenly a ball of light above me – a Guardian Fairy – and that's when I know that something is definitely not right._

_I catch a glimpse of the two people riding the animal. The taller figure has silver hair, yet doesn't look ancient, while the person they are holding – protecting even – seems to be dressed in white and pink, though their hair is covered. I watch them go off into the distance, dark clouds covering their figures, when another sound is heard from behind me: the panting of the weird animal again._

_I spin around, seeing another of that animal from before; however in jet black this time with fiery hair which suits the black-armoured rider. The creature rears back and the rider raises his, presumably, palm; generating some sort of force within it. I raise my arms over my face, knowing that this isn't going to be good, when something even stranger occurs._

"_No!" I move out of my braced position to see a girl around my age stepping in front of me. Her hair is as red as the uniform that she wears, and she takes the impact of the force for him. She tumbles to the ground as the rider leaves the scene, and both myself and the girl stare at each other for a few moments. "Wake up..." A pause. "Ugh, can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?"_

_That's when I wake..._

* * *

~Ciren~

My eyes scan the empty terrain, my arm back in front of my face as the tiny sand grains attach themselves to my eyelashes. We haven't even been moving for that long and it seems that I've already lost my ability to sense Nabooru and Nisah, horror seeping into my system at the thought.

"Nisah?!" I call out, choking on the sand that soon invades my system. "Nabooru?!" I receive no reply from either of my companions. "Crap..." Luz whines, and I suddenly realise how long we must have been going for to make him so tired out. I can do nothing else but leap off of my stallion and help him out of the sand that has begun to consume his legs.

Luz shakes his head at me, pushing me away a little with his nose; urging me away so I can live to see the sun rise tomorrow, but I won't have it. "Stop it, Luz!" I hiss between closed teeth, grasping his reigns tightly. "I'm not leaving you to die here! If you're going to be stubborn about this, then I will be too!"

He whines in irritation and attempts to pull the reigns from my grip, yet I have none of it. I won't leave him to die out here alone, as he is one of the two people I can place my trust into fully. His dark eyes sparkle in woe, and I can't help but sigh as I rest my forehead against the bridge of his nose – knowing that are fate's have been written down in black and white now.

_I need to go_, I tell myself as I raise my head again, noticing the moon shimmering through the wild winds of the Wasteland. _Now._ When I try to move my feet, however, all I find is that I am struggling to move. I shift my eyes downwards to discover that me being stationary for so long has cause for the sand to briskly pile up and submerge half of my shins.

I'm alone. In the Haunted Wasteland. And without any way of seeing the Desert Colossus which used to be ahead of me. Nisah and Nabooru are nowhere to be seen, and Luz as well as me are slowly sinking into the abyss of golden death. _Holy Din, Nayru and Farore..._ I think to myself, clutching Luz's reigns tightly in fear. _I am going to die._

I let myself internally sigh when I hear a cackle surround the area, halting any of my thoughts that threaten to surface at this moment. I look around for a few moments, my eyes soon locking onto a small floating figure in the distance. The lantern that it holds lights up the sand, but surely not enough to guide me to the Desert Colossus.

"Who—?"

It cackles, cutting me off. "I'll be your guide on your way, but coming back, I won't play! I'll show you the only way to go, so follow me and don't be slow!" I watch in surprise as it floats gently up to me, holding my face with its free hand; even though I still cannot see the being. "Only one with the Eye of the Sheikah can see me here. What sorcery do you possess, my dear?"

I slap the hand out of the way in anger tingling deep within my bones. "I don't have any magic that you speak of!" I snap, sand spewing into my open mouth and causing me to cough harshly; panicking wildly to try and get my feet out of the sand. "Just help. Please..."

"One with the Eye of Truth shall be guided to the Spirit Temple by an inviting ghost." It giggles before more, then taking off into the sand ahead. With a loud grunt, I strain around Luz to pull myself out of the deep sands; swinging myself around and onto his saddles, the ghost using some form of magic to swirl the sand around Luz's feet away.

The ghost giggles creepily and flies of into the distance. I harshly kick Luz's sides, racing off into the distance before the creature can get away from me. I am not about to lose my chance of getting both Luz and I out of this alive, even if the Wasteland may just be messing with my mind to make me think this.

_I pray to Din that it isn't just the Wasteland..._

* * *

_Why am I trusting this disgusting thing?_ I can't help but ask myself as we continue further forwards. I spot the creature in the distance once again, the light from the lantern thankfully helping to light the way. Luz has had next to no trouble in getting through the sand now, even breaking into a gallop for a lot of it.

From what the moon says, it must be around one in the morning – and we set off around half past eleven. Yet I'm worried that Nisah and Nabooru haven't had the help from this ghost like I have, and haven't made it to the Desert Colossus like I have the slim chance of getting into. I can't lose Nisah, and Nabooru is the best leader that one could ever have.

_Nothing will be the same without them..._

A gust of wind suddenly bites at my side again, almost sending me toppling off of Luz with a freight. The wind, however, dies down without much of a warning; and the horrific storms soon begin to break up. A small smile breaks across my face and Luz lets out a joyful neigh, speeding up without my command.

The ghost's light carries on towards the end of the storm, and the wind keeps slowing down until I can finally see the night sky again. I breathe a deep sigh of relief and almost collapse onto Luz's back when I realise that the winds have almost finally died out and the ghost's light has stopped.

"My purpose has been fulfilled in leading you out of the sandy pool, but do not later choose be a fool!" The lights dips deeply – suggesting that it's bowing towards me – before spinning around and exploding into a mass of dark particles. I jerk backwards in surprise, and Luz rears a little. I stroke him lovingly in an attempt to reassure him, which thankfully works.

_I never saw what the ghost even looked like..._

Leaning back up from Luz, I scan the area ahead with the wind now gone. Wedged deep into the sand is a wooden post, something I saw a few times in the Wasteland, with a long piece of frayed crimson cloth. From this, I leap off of Luz and lean heavily against it; feeling a little spent as I hold onto my horse's reigns to carry on further into what must be the Colossus.

My feet wade slightly through the silent sand, moving over small sand dunes and towards the large stone statue ahead. Despite my tiredness, I break into a run when I spot water ahead; letting Luz rest and drink thirstily from the water in the small oasis off to the left of the decayed statue, taking the strangely pristine water into my hands and taking large gulps from the clean water.

"Ciren? Ciren?!"

I straighten at the sudden shout, letting myself breathe out: "Nisah..." _She's alive!_ I pat Luz's neck lightly and whisper reassurance as I rise onto my feet and find my purple companion calling out my name from a small set of steps in front of the unrecognisable statue; walking towards a large stone arch before the statue. "Nisah!"

I sprint towards my friend at a pace faster than I would have expected for me to, crashing into her and sending us both onto the ground in a tangled heap. "What the—?" She looks up to see me on top of her. "Ciren, you're alive! When you weren't with us, I could have sworn that you'd..."

"You thought that I'd get eaten by the Leevers, I know." I tell her with a smirk, jumping away and dodging a kick she pulls. "Well, I'm alive and you're alive so-wait, where's Nabooru?" I hoist Nisah onto her feet and look around. "Please tell me that she made it."

Thoughts invade my mind at the situation of us not having Nabooru around to help us through the Spirit Temple, and not having her in general, when I suddenly hear a strong voice radiate from out of the statue. "I'm right here, Ciren. Don't get your uniform in a twist over it." We both snap our heads over to see Nabooru strolling out of the dark tunnel leading into the statue – no, the Spirit Temple.

I look upwards at the statue, noticing some form of person within the statue; but nothing more than that. "I'm glad that you are well, Nabooru."

"Cut the formal chat, Ciren. I'm no different than you are, as you are destined for bigger things than I will ever be." I tilt my head at her, ready to respond with something, only for the White to continue on to the both of us. "We should get into the Temple before anything else happens. Our chance may almost be gone because of those bloody storms."

Both Nisah and I nod in unison, and my fellow Purple along with Nabooru lead their own horses over to the oasis I left Luz at; taking a good drink from it ourselves before walking back towards the Temple. All my thoughts are distorted over Nabooru's cryptic words and the who idea of the King's secrets becoming a reality through the depths of the Spirit Temple.

_Goddesses, please say that I am not destined for a life of mystery for much longer. I desire answers..._

* * *

I can feel the Gerudo past flooding into my core as we step into the Temple, walking up the central steps that move past two stone serpents reading signs about a silver item and the flow of time. I briskly ignore them and follow Nabooru, who is ahead of us by a few paces.

"Isn't this place amazing?" I can't help but whisper to Nisah as we walk over to a small hole embedded in the left wall of the Temple.

She shrugs. "Of course." She says before adding. "And it's better because we aren't supposed to be here." I laugh lightly and halt when Nabooru kneels by the hole. "Um, I don't think we're thin enough to get through that hole, Nabooru. Especially Ciren, with her fat behind." I shake my head at her, feeling the tips of my ears growing hot in embarrassment.

"I thought about this before, Nisah, as well as the fact that none of us have the strength that the Silver Gauntlets hold. I guess I'll have to resort to magic..." She rises to her feet and holds her hands out in front of her. "I created a warp point with Great Fairy Magic earlier today in case I could not find the Silver Gauntlets in time, so we'll simply have to use that."

My mouth drops open, and Nisah does the same. "G-Great Fairy magic?!" I gasp. "But they're just a myth!"

"Oh they exist alright." She says with a slight cackle. "They're all over Hyrule. I picked some of their abilities up when I left the Valley. When you both leave this domain, you'll be able to cast these sorts of spells too; but you need to find them first." _Holy shi—oot..._ "Close your mouths, ladies. You look like you're about to eat ten Leevers in one."

I slowly push my lips back together. "What's the spell?"

"You're about to find out." The White answers Nisah with a devious smile. "Farore's Wind!" Nabooru creates a small orb of green in her palms, rising it into the air and wrapping her arms around our waists. "Sorry, I'm not the best of drivers with this sort of thing..."

Nisah watches her in alarm. "What are you—?"

Her question is soon cut off as the light consumes all of my vision and I feel my body whisked off my a much calmer wind than the one that almost killed me in the Wasteland mere moments ago. After a few moments, however, we soon slam harshly into the ground somewhere; Nabooru's voice whispering: "I'm really not the best of drivers, heh."

I groan as I get onto my knees, muttering a small: "Ya think" so quietly that she doesn't hear it. Nisah, however, doesn't care how small her response is. "Go tell those Great Fairies that they need to work on their spells just a little more... _Farore_, that hurt." _She isn't wrong with that one..._

When we are helped onto our feet by the White, we scan where we have been transported to in amazement. We're still in the Spirit Temple, from what I can tell, but I cannot feel the breeze that I felt in the entrance room of the Temple – so I know that we're much further in the Temple now, ready to fulfil our task from Nabooru.

The room is the base of the Gerudo culture. Everything in here seems to have some sort of symbolism, no matter what it seems to be, even the brickwork of the walls is covered in Alma – Ancient Gerudo – that speaks of the very birth of our existence that is too long to explain from between the time when the blazing sun rises and sets into the chilling night.

Ahead of us is a set of steps, the sides barricaded off by metal spikes sharper than any scimitar that we've ever owned in our tribe. A dormant Armos sits off to the left before an overhang that opens out into what seems to be the main room of the Spirit Temple, the fact that an extinct creature is here freaking me out a little.

In the more open part of the room is a gigantic statue of what the very first Gerudo may have looked like: wearing thick armour around their breasts and shoulders as well as vibrant material across their legs. Still, what I don't believe was a part of their garments in their time was the incredibly large cobra wrapping itself around the statues waist and up atop their head.

Beneath the statue, the one that seems rather similar to the eroded one outside, is a small platforms with an unlit torch on either side of it; feeling like it is awaiting for the flames of destiny to light the shadowy room of mysteries. I stand in a little bit of shock of the beauty of the room, unable to form a response before we're moving again.

Nabooru leads both Nisah and I up the steps in front of us, rolling her eyes when I drag my fingers across the stone – watching intently as the tiny grains of sand fly off at my touch that brushes through the cement holding these bricks together. This leads us up to the highest point of the room where a single torch sits by a door blocked off by thick metal bars.

From this vantage point, we can see the entire room and everything that goes on here; or what is about to occur. There is a long moment of silence where nothing happens, my senses tingling from the history lingering in this place as I drink in the thick scents of the incense that must have been burnt in here before we got here. Some of the Whites must have been in here earlier praying or something, I suppose.

_I didn't even think that Ganondorf would even let the Whites in here now that—_

I suddenly hear a door opening from below us, and we all peer over the edge to watch as Ganondorf, wearing thick black armour trimmed with gold, creeps in from a door that I mustn't have seen on the other side of the wall where the stairs were that we walked up a few moments ago. Nabooru holds a finger to her lips as she crouches into a kneel, us following her silent orders and keeping silent.

Our King walks up to a small platform at the very base of the statue, creating a orb of crimson fire in his palms and lighting the torch to his right before creating an orb of blue fire and lighting the torch to his left. "What the—?" I breathe, only for Nabooru to cover my mouth before we get noticed.

The statue's core glows with the two colours of the flames flickering shadows onto his face. It is only after a few moments of silences dragging its finger straight through my core that two figures appear with a burst of cackles. My eyes widen when the torches reveal who exactly they are: the Demon Twins from the legends of the Gerudo tribe.

Kotake and Koume.

They were from a desert tribe long formed before the basis of the Gerudo tribe was created, becoming the two people who begun our tribe and the curse that it holds. Yes, they began out as normal human beings before they became what they were now; the complete opposite of what they are now.

The two were ordinary sisters who became incredibly close in their early age, raised in a tribe that was loving and caring to them. Koume, the older of the two, soon became immersed in the art of magic – _dark_ magic – and grew apart from her younger sister; who had just gotten married and was pregnant with a child.

Koume was said to have grown jealous of her sister, as it was known for the eldest to get married and conceive a child first. As she wanted the power, Koume had used her powers of darkness to kill both the child and Kotake's husband; blaming on her miscarrying and a group of bandits killing her husband.

Kotake had begged Koume to teach her the art of dark magic so she could avenge her husband's death, becoming a student in the art of dark magic with Koume being her teacher. The Goddesses, fearing the chaos that they would spread across their blessed land, cursed the two and altered their state so they were withered witches.

And yet, they knew that their tribe which they had grown up in had the potential to create more people like Kotake and Koume – they cursed the tribe, making sure that only one man was born every one-hundred years. However, I'll never get why the Goddesses did this; and history has covered why the truth on their actions.

The two witches float in the air, held up only by their magic and their wooden brooms. Ganondorf gestures to the witch on the right, who wears a black robe decorated in red designs – a ember coloured jewel embedded into her head that connects to her hair-band that tames her fiery hair. "Koume..."

He then gestures to the witch on the left, who bears the same appearance as the other witch – except for the fact that all of her garbs are blue and she has icy hair. "Kotake... it is an honour to return to you once again."

_They aren't even supposed to be alive now_, I think to myself, realising that Nabooru has moved her hand away from me now. _The Gerudo race was born three-hundred odd years ago, and no witch has survived that long..._

"Gracious Ganondorf..." The witch on the right, Koume, bows her head as she greets him. "We have finally created the spell needed to gain the power over our tribe. All you need to do is gain the trust of Hyrule's King and of his daughter, and we can join together to invade the Sacred Realm once and for all!"

They all chuckle in delight at their plan while Nisah and I raise eyebrows at each other, confused over what their plan will entail for us as a tribe, Nabooru simply watching the conversation continue onwards.

"When we finally have that sacred power of the three golden triangles, then nothing will stop us in our revenge over the paths that destiny has carefully set out for all of us." Kotake muses quietly, clearing without the confidence of her sister. Another pause is sounded where no one speaks, until Kotake suddenly says: "There are more here..."

I gasp before anyone, even myself, can stop me; listening as it echoes around the room and alerts them to our presence. Nabooru shoves me backwards, clutching my uniform tightly as she grabs Nisah's arm and mutters some sort of incantation. My vision blurs slightly before going completely white, then black as I lose my grip on reality along with consciousness from the amount and strength of magic used at once.


	4. Chapter 4: Feast

_"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk our own paths."_

-Buddha-

Shards Of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 4: Feast

"Ciren! Ciren, come on, get up!" _Not Nisah again..._ I groan and roll over, determined to let my body go back to bed. All that magic Nabooru used last night must have done a number on me or something, because I really don't want to get out of bed right now. _Or I'm just plain lazy_, I smirk a little as I am shaken again. "Come on, Ciren! We've only got a few hours to get ready!"

_Wha...?_ I blink open my eyes and twist back around, locking onto Izia attempting to wake me up. "What's going on?" I wonder groggily, rubbing life back into my face successfully. When I suddenly conclude what must have gone on, I almost whack my head off of the top bunk of the bed for a second time in two days. "Have I missed my duties?"

"Have you not heard? The whole Fortress is talking about it!" She notices my blank look and gets all giddy. "The King is having a Feast with the entire Fortress today at noon! Everyone gets out of their duties to do it, and you were about to miss it all by sleeping!"

And before I know it, Izia has me on my feet and carries on with her excitement – only to halt when she sees something on me. "What's wrong?"

"You're still in your uniform." _Crap._ "You'll have to come and clean it with the rest of the Gerudo in the pools at the top of the Valley." She grabs a brush from the top of my bedside table and throws it at me. "Just wake up Nisah and brush your hair. You look like you've gone through the Wasteland or something..." On this, she simply skips out of the room – leaving me alone one more.

_What's he planning?_ I run my fingers through my hair, feeling that it must have come undone in the night; yet is incredibly messy. Dragging the brush unceremoniously through my hair, I clamber up onto the second bunk and stick my face night in front of Nisah's sleeping one. I take one deep breath before shouting: "_It's time to wake up, sunshine!_"

Her eyes snap open and she screeches, almost falling off of the bed at the sight of me right in her face. I grab onto her arm before she can do that, though. I'm not _all_ evil. "Ciren, what the _Hell_ was that for?!"

I shrug. "Nothing much, other than the fact that the King is having a Feast for the entire Fortress and I have a bad feeling that he's hiding something. Thought I should let you know."

"Well you didn't have to scream in my face, for the love of Nayru."

I smile evilly as she rubs the sleep out of her eyes. "Still, we've gotta get to the pools at the Valley. Izia kinda woke me up and told us to get over there before noon when the feasts starts." Noting her bed-hair, I stuff the brush into her hands and leap off of the bed and move a few chests around from underneath my bed to find a small wooden chest under a pile of unused clothes.

I grab the key from in the pile of clothes and open up the chest while Nisah clatters about trying to find some clothes more decent than the ones from last night; which are not torn and filled with dust. I rummage past my old Green uniform and pull out another Purple uniform made for special occasions – if there are any.

The uniform is embroidered with gold around the edges of the cloth, moving around the material in tiny swirls and other designs. Even though it has been in the chest for Din knows how long, I might as well clean it just in case. "You all done in there?" I hear Nisah call from the other side of my bed. I lift a thumbs up into the air and am about to lock the chest when I notice something.

Mixed in with the bundle of clothes within the chest is a small, bronze locket. I drop my uniform and pick it out of the chest, the Gerudo symbol carved into the outside of the locket and a couple of beads threaded off of the bottom of it; the beads green, purple, red and white for each of the levels in our society.

My mother, who I know nothing of, wore this a lot. Nabooru kept it when my mother died to pass onto me, but I don't know any other part of my family history; not even who my father is. "I'm coming, Nisah." With a deep sigh, I tie the locket around my neck for the first time in forever and get onto my feet. "We better head over to the pools before they all get filled up."

With a silent nod, Nisah watches the locket around my neck as we go; holding her uniform decorated with silver thread. Clutching the necklace tightly, I can't help but think to myself: _I wish I knew you, Mom..._

* * *

~Link~

I push myself up from the floor, swearing an oath as I hold my head tightly. It wasn't even that bad of a nightmare, honestly. Yeah, it's been the same nightmare every couple of nights, but at least it wasn't filled with blood and— "Hey, snap out of it! The Deku Tree's in trouble!"

_Wha...?_ I struggle back onto my feet, searching around for the random voice. Who, in their right mind, would walk straight into a person's house just to wake them up. I cross my arms with a huff. "Mido... for the love of Nayru." I step forwards, only to leap backwards in freight when a bright light suddenly jumps in front of my face; startling the living daylights out of me.

I crash loudly into my bed, sending random things into the air without any warning. Numerous wooden objects and pieces of paper fall around me, and I rest the back of my head against the messed up bed sheets as I swear yet another oath into the air. "Goddesses. I never knew the Kokiri were scared so easily..." I snap my head up, my eyes widening at what I find.

A twinkling ball of light hovers in the air, the figure through the light watching me intently. "What the...?"

The Fairy sticks her tiny hand out towards me, smiling happily. "I'm Navi, your Guardian Fairy. Like a "Navi"-gator. You need to come with me before the Great Deku Tree can't pass on his message to you." I cautiously hold my finger out towards her, poking her entire torso instead of shaking her hand that's the size of an eyelash. "From what I can sense, your name is Link. Right?"

_Holy shi—oot..._ "Y-You're my Guardian Fairy..." I breathe softly, lost in a daze of shock and excitement. "I actually have a Guardian Fairy!" I push myself up from the floor, happiness bubbling within me as I completely forget what Navi has told me and race outside. "Oh, wait until Mido hears—"

Just before I reach the door, she's in my face and looking rather irritated. "Look, I know this may be something awesome – especially since you have me of all Fairies – but didn't you hear what I just said?" I stare blankly at her, and she smacks my nose lightly. "The Great Deku Tree is dying, and you're the only one who can help him!" As the news finally sinks in, my mouth drops.

_Mido can wait, as much as I don't want to._ "W-What's happened?!"

"The plants are withering!" I hear a screech from outside.

Navi turns to the voice, then back to me. "Here's the thing..."

* * *

I race across the greenery of the Forest, the grass withering completely with every step that I take. Navi, I still can't believe that she's beside me, flies beside me in a blue streak of light; freaking out externally while I do the same internally. The Great Deku Tree is dying. I've never felt anything like this before. I always knew that this time would come, but it's too soon!

I can hear the footsteps of the other Kokiri behind me as I break into the Meadow, catching myself when I trip over a small tree root sticking out of the ground. I collide with the massive Tree harshly, tears already threatening to fall. "Great Deku Tree!" I cry out. "Please talk to me! What's happened to you?!"

"Evil gains strength over this land once more, child, and many are affected by it." I look up as his eyes slide open, Navi resting on my shoulder as she tries to quell her tears. "Thy slumber has been restless, and thou has been infected with the evil aroused by numerous desires. Thy courage needs to be tested... I need you to break the curse from inside of myself with your wisdom and courage."

I move back a few steps, feeling almost frozen with fear. "I'll do anything, Great Deku Tree. But how do I break the curse?"

A single tear slips from my eye as two green orbs appear in front of me, slightly larger than Navi herself, and transforms into a wooden shield – the symbol of the Kokiri painted in red across the front of it – and the legendary Kokiri Sword. I take them both into my hands, the items feeling alien in my hands... although comfortable too.

His mouth suddenly drops open with a blood-chilling creak, the cries of the Kokiri behind me growing louder by the minute. "Then enter, brave Link. And thou too Navi to aid Link in his quest. I believe in you, Link..." His eyes slip shut once more, and I can't fight back the urge to cry; not even a little.

My hands shake violently as I force my stiff limbs forwards, Navi not bothering to stop her crying either. "HEY!" I spin around, almost sending Navi off of my shoulder with a cry, watching as Mido unceremoniously shoves his friends out of the way to get to me. "How the Hell did you get those?! I, the great Mido, will not stand for a cry-baby like you to try and be better than your Superior!"

_I had a feeling he would see the tears._ "I need to go, Mido." I clarify as I back-pedal. "The Great Deku Tree is cursed, and he wants me to save him."

I turn and bolt, Navi clutching onto my tunic before she falls off, only for Mido to soon fall in step with me. "Then I'm not letting _you_ take all of the glory in saving the day like the Hero you aren't!" He shoves me brutally, almost forcing me onto the ground, and attempts to grab the Kokiri Sword. I barely manage to fight him off as we enter the darkness of the Tree, Navi being our only source of light along with the outside world.

"Be careful!" Is the last thing I hear from someone before the Great Deku Tree's mouth suddenly closes, Navi now being our only true source of light. I take a deep breath and tighten my hold on the small blade, Navi bravely flying outwards to light the way deeper into the great Tree.

_The Great Deku Tree is withering like all of the plants, and I will do what it takes to save him and show Mido that I'm better than what he'll ever be!_

* * *

~Ciren~

I laugh as Nisah spins me around again, sending me completely dizzy and almost into the fire they created a few hours ago. Our sort of Feasts are incredibly different to the other sort of Feasts that, say, the Zoras have. The Hylians have very formal Feasts, mainly with family, as do the Gorons – though theirs is less formal – and the Zoras are completely formal without much of the family aspect.

But the Gerudo Feasts are different.

We usually hold it in the Horseback Archery Range, as there is more room there, building a massive bonfire on the far end and pushing back all of the targets for extra space. We usually have dances around the bonfire at the far end, and roast numerous types of meat on another fire on the opposite end.

Incense is burnt a lot of the time too, depending on whether it is the rainy season or not, and we just care more about bonding between each other over the actual food that we have. This is the best aspect of the Gerudo lifestyle, as we're mainly one big family – much like the Gorons – no matter what arguments we may have here.

I laugh when Nisah stumbles from the dizziness too, narrowly avoiding colliding with a White. I pull her away from the bonfire and sit down with her, trying to get rid of the stupid light-headedness so we can get back up and dance until our feet burst. "Din, I've missed this." I breathe out with a laugh, both of us laughing when a drunk Green starts flirting with a crate. "Especially drunk people..."

"We totally have to try some of it!" Nisah exclaims happily, pointing at the Green and clutching her stomach from her fit of giggles. A broad smiles fills my complexion as Nisah rises onto her feet. "Come on, let's go and find some!"

I hold my hands up. "As much as I'd like to see what I could do while drunk, I would rather see you drunk and be conscious by the end of the feast."

"Spoil sport..." She mutters, though doesn't take the matter further. I soon lose her in the crowd of Gerudo as she sprints off to find herself a drink, and I rest my back against the wall with a sigh. _Goddesses I love these Feasts... but where's the King?_ He hasn't actually arrived yet, presumably back at the Spirit Temple. That alone sparks an icy worry in the pit of my stomach.

A few minutes, however, Nisah returns with none other than a drink in her hand and Nabooru herself; who carries two packages tucked under her arm. "Hey Nabooru." I say with a small wave, knowing that she'll only be annoyed with formalities. I drop into a smaller tone. "Did the favour go as you wanted it to?"

"Yep." She responds with a nod, chucking me one of the packages and passing the other to Nisah. "These are your rewards. And don't try and give them back to me. You both deserve these for what you actually did: crossing the Haunted Wasteland as well as entering and exiting the Spirit Temple alive."

Nisah drops to her knees and we open the packages together. We pull away the string on the gifts and basically rip apart the package to reveal— "Farore..." I breathe before adding. "Nayru, and Din..." In our hands lies two sets of Red uniforms, flawless and perfect; awaiting for the both of us to wear these. "But we never took the Trial of the Reds to—"

"The Trial of the Red is to prove your courage to your Sisters. And you both braved the Haunted Wasteland, as well as going into the Spirit Temple, and both came back out alive. We were all split up in the Wasteland, and you were both able to cross the land all by yourselves. _That_ is courage, girls, so you have proved your worth before you were supposed to; therefore deserve the uniforms an the level earlier to honour this."

Both Nisah and my mouths drop completely, watching her and the uniform in shock. "T-Thank-you, Nabooru..." Is all that Nisah can say.

"Don't wear them just yet, though, as I still need to convince the King that you two didn't go through the Wasteland for me." She pauses for a moment. "But still, go and enjoy the party. You two deserve it more than any other Gerudo in the Fortress tonight." She suddenly turns on her heels and briskly leaves, the flames of the bonfire illuminating her face and pure white uniform.

There's a long time where neither of us speak, we just stare at the uniform with confused thoughts. Nisah takes a big swig of her drink, downing it in moments before leaning against the wall fully. "Goddesses, this is too much..."

I breathe out a laugh and get onto my feet. "I'm going to take my clothes back to our room before we get all the questions from the others. Do you want me to take yours back as well?"

"Nah, it's fine. I'll take yours back." She gets onto her feet also and holds her hand out to me. I submit and pass them to her without an argument. I'm just too happy right now to put up a playful fight. Her eyes glitter with happiness as she takes both of our uniforms away, leaving me alone once more.

I watch as the feast goes on, my lips curving upwards in a broad smile as more people ignore the meat roasting upon the roaring fire and move into the dancing side of the party. I soon find myself being pulled to my feet by Serise, I think, and I'm back in the dancing mood as the white-hot sun continues its tour of the dusty skies above us.

_Best day ever..._


	5. Chapter 5: Runaway

_'One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go. Whether it's guilt, anger, love, loss or betrayal. Change is never easy. We can fight to hold on and we fight to let go.'_

-Unknown-

Shards Of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 5: Runaway

"_Great and powerful Din, you have created the very basis of the lives of this sacred land. You carved the mountains that cut the sky like knives and churned the sands that rage across the deserts to the west. Oh great and powerful Din, may you grant your blessing and mercy onto us as we act in your stead since the creation of the red earth_." The wind picks up our chanting as more fuel is added into the fire, and a single arrow of blazing fire rockets into the sky.

I unclasp my hands as the fire roars and dances in the eyes of my Sisters, watching as the Fire Arrow is consumed by the clouds above. Cheers surrounds my ears as the prayer is ended, a smile creasing my face as many more torches are lit around the area as well as many incense sticks.

The festivities soon begin to carry on around the bonfires, and Gerudo songs are soon sung across the sandy terrain once more. It's only late afternoon and most of my Sisters are drunk beyond belief – as I've always said: drunks and fire is _never_ a good thing – but they must have been semi-coherent to send their prayers towards Din for creating our land.

I watch as some Greens waltz past me, stepping on each other's toes without a care in the world, a smile growing across my face as they do so. I then find myself sighing deeply as I rest once more against the wall behind me, finding Nabooru in the crowd as my thoughts turn to Nisah.

She hasn't returned for a long time, and even then she's merely been flitting in and out of the crowds without me. As much as I should be looking for her, she must have simply drunk too much and done the right thing by going back to sleep in our room. I do miss her, though, as weird as that may sound. I want to spend this time with people like her, especially now that we're Reds.

_That will never be right to—_ Gasps suddenly fill the area, and I snap my head upwards. The crackling of the flames slice my ears as the thick tension settles in my throat, and I can't help but feel my heart-beat rising for some reason as I see shadows creep over the canyon – one main figure becoming apparent through the crowd of colours.

Ganondorf...

* * *

~Link~

Mist covers my face like a blanket, but it's not like the cool and refreshing mist that sometimes settles in the Forest. My hands tremble around the Deku Shield, holding both that and the Kokiri Sword in a death grip as we reach the very base of the Great Deku Tree; the darkness weighing me entire body down as both mine and Mido's breathing is the only thing I can hear now.

"Why did you come with me, Mido?" I can't help but ask as I clamber down one of the tree roots, my voice sounding quieter than ever before. "You didn't have to put your life in danger like this?"

He scoffs loudly, making me stop as I stretch my leg down to another tree root beneath my feet. "_Why?_" He laughs, despite what's going on here. "Because I don't want you showing off just so you can have Saria all to yourself! How _did_ you get to be the favourite of Saria and the Great Deku Tree anyway?" I almost fall off of the tree roots in surprise. _The Great Deku Tree is dying, I'm not doing this for Saria!_

"Just ignore him, Link." Navi tells me quietly, snuggling my shoulder comfortingly. "He's just jealous and..." Her voice trails off as I block her out, my ears catching onto another sound instead. I can't even explain what the sound is, but it's already sending chills down my spine.

An earthy smell fills my nose as my feet thud against the ground of the Great Deku Tree, the foggy smoke flying everywhere as Mido follows. I feel him shove me again, yet my mind is away from both him and Navi. Something is here, and it's certainly not a good thing. I hold my hand up and shush them both, helping in no way with halting the small argument between the two.

_"Where's the Stone?"_ Navi and Mido automatically shut up when we all hear the voice, sub-consciously moving together. _"Where is it?!"_

A massive shadow crashes against the ground harshly, scaring the living daylights out of all of us. However, the shadow is soon devoured by something even larger and even more unidentifiable. "W-What Stone is it talking about...?" Mido whispers from behind me, a large trembling in his voice. "W-What even _is_ it?"

"I don't know, Mido." I reply quietly. "I don't even—"

And then it appears.

A light appears ahead of us, growing closer to us by the second so the light can reflect off of its shimmering body. The rest of the creature's body is concealed mostly by the darkness around the area, all except for the glowing eye watching the three of us with a sparkle that wants to devour us like it did with what could have been the Great Deku Tree... himself.

"Y-You're the one killing the Great Deku Tree!" I cry, tightening my hand around the hilt of the Kokiri Sword. "Turn him back to—Mido, what are you doing?!" My upset nature is rather suddenly cut off into a harsh whisper as Mido wraps his hands around the shimmering blade without warning in an attempt to get the sword himself. "Give it back!"

He pulls the sword towards him, and it becomes a battle between us two over the Kokiri Sword while the shadow creeps even closer towards us."I am _not_ letting you take all of the glory, squirt!" He shouts back, struggling to hold his ground. He, however, soon manages to get the upper hand but with too much power – and the sword goes flying backwards and into the side of the Great Deku Tree.

"Mido... what the—Mido!" He's suddenly off, dashing towards where the Kokiri Sword is lodged high up in the large tree; leaving me to turn back to the creature, gulping hardly. The creature is shifting even closer to me now, and Navi is squealing as I see a claw being driven towards my tiny body at an amazing speed. "Farore..."

* * *

~Ciren~

"We Gerudo are stronger than any other race in Hyrule. Din blessed us with the power to dominate over the other regions in the hopes of becoming the greatest race of all time, and I believe strongly enough in this. I want to drive our tribe into a time of hope and prosperity. And although the road towards paradise may be long, the unity of the tribe shown here today will prove the journey to be worth it!"

Cheers break out all over the crowd, and I am forced into clapping myself as much as I don't believe his words. I would have before I had heard what he was talking about in the Spirit Temple when Nabooru, Nisah and I went in there after the White's suspicions over our King, and now I can read between his words as well as the glint in his eyes that worries me.

_Whatever he's planning is not good._ Nabooru's eyes watch the King's skeptically, the fire dancing in her eyes much like with Ganondorf's. He watches the crowd with a potent smirk as the crowd carry on. "Now..." He says as his grin grows until it's almost abnormal. "We toast to our tribe!"

He raises his fists into the air, and all glasses but mine are risen into the air before being downed by my Sisters as we all chant: "_To the Gerudo!_" as I simply raise my hand in recognition – not wanting to drink at all, my mood wilting since the King arrived. As the crowd dies down, Ganondorf begins waging through the crowd and meets my eyes.

And I see "the look" again. The look of empowerment, and how much dominance he holds over us – a power so big that I'm surprised it hasn't choked him to death yet...

_I need to find Nisah_, I resolve when I avert his gaze. _She'll know how to make me feel better._ Nodding to myself, I carefully being to cut my way through the crowd of drunk and less coherent Gerudo; my mood being even more dampening by the feeling of power in this place. Yes, Gerudo nature is about power, but this power seems... corrupted in a way. _I don't like—_

"Naboor—"

A blur of white suddenly appears and holds a finger to her lips, silencing me halfway through my sentence. "We need to move, now. I don't know what the King is planning, but something is in those drinks which is not good depending on how much you've drunk. Have you drank any of the alcohol today?" I shake my head. "Where is—?"

"Nisah!" I gasp, even if I am supposed to be quiet. "She had a few drinks, and she hasn't come back for a while now. Goddesses above..."

A hand is placed on my shoulder, and I discover Nabooru's face actually softening at my look. "Ciren, whatever you do, please be ready for anything. I know that you wish for her to be well, but you don't know what may have happened to her because of what she has drunk and—"

"I don't care." I say quietly, holding my hand up to her. "Let's just find Nisah and see what's happened." My mind races as we burst into a run, ignoring any Gerudo in my way as we sneak out of the eyes of the King. "How did you even know about the drinks anyway? It's not like they were different." I ask quickly as we rush down the dirty strip towards the Fortress.

Nabooru stays silent for a moment before answering, making sure that no one is following us. "We usually import any form of alcohol from outside of the Valley, but we didn't this time due to the King's requests. These drinks really were different, Ciren, although. The other Whites were saying how it tasted like Potions had been put in it – which are infused with magic – and the drinks from Hyrule aren't."

"That's all well and good, Nabooru, but how did that make you fully realise that something wasn't right? The King may have wanted a change or something..." _And even I know that what I have said won't even be true any longer..._

She shrugs, and we slow into a jog as we slip into the Fortress silently. "Something wasn't right with the Gerudo after they drunk it." She explains to me, speeding up again. "What the King said about dominating over the other races is something that we would never agree to as a race. Although we like to have strength over the other races at times, not once have we wanted to physically dominate over them and take Hyrule for ourselves – and I know this from the history books."

_So there has been other attempts in our tribe for kingdom domination?_ I can't draw words to my throat as we jump up a long set of stairs onto the second floor. If Nisah has drunk so much of whatever this drink is... Goddesses, I don't want to know what will happen to her. "Wait." I halt suddenly, Nabooru skidding into a stop herself to speak with me. "But Nisah saw how the King was in the Spirit Temple. Won't she remember what he was like?"

Her shoulders slump forwards, and I fear the worst straight away. "I don't know, Ciren. I hope for the best, but with the King being a part of the dark magic arts... I cannot be sure of what the drinks have even properly done to our Sisters." She holds my arm and pulls me along again, myself going along with a numb body.

Gerudo Kings have never been like this, or not this bad from what Nabooru said, so why has our King decided to immerse himself in the art of dark magic. What has made him feel like dominance over the other races is right? I have too many questions that can only be summed up in one word: _Why?_ My mind filled with questions, however, is soon cut off as we stop in front of mine and Nisah's room.

Nabooru halts outside, making me stop too. I raise my eyebrow upwards as if to question whether she is continuing on with me or not, only for her to shake her head and to gesture inside. I turn to see the dark room in front of me with a tiny sigh, holding my breath as I step inside with as much courage that I can currently muster.

I step over to mine and Nisah's bunk, not recognising the lump on her bed where she would normally sleep. My breath is drawn out in a ragged gasp as I notice the pile of a single Red uniform on my bunk, yet not in Nisah's, my hopes assuming that she's too excited to wait and not that she's changed from what the King has apparently done to her and my other Sisters.

"Nisah?" I whisper aloud, even though there's a high chance that she's not in here. "Nisah?" I wait for a long time in the hope of her appearing out of no where and telling me to get my ass back to the Feast, only for silence to start killing me from the inside as I turn back to Nabooru. "I don't think she's here. Where else could she have—Nabooru, watch out!"

A small shadow falls behind Nabooru, the sun from the window behind me shining onto a single throwing knife. The White whirls around, but she's too slow to be saved. The shimmer of silver delves deep into her shoulder, I assume deliberately missing her chest so she is kept alive for longer. A tense silence fills the room as Nabooru drops to the floor, crying out when she collides with the stone ground harshly.

And yet it is not just the attack that has frozen me, yet more so how the sun soon reveals who the person is. "Nisah?! W-What the Hell?!"

She steps over Nabooru's weak form and towards me, twisting the blood-stained blade in her hand venomously. "She sent two Purples on a mission that was made for the Whites, dear Ciren. I needed to pay back some revenge for almost killing me off in the Haunted Wasteland." The sunshine illuminates her face, the shadows created sending chills down my spine as I look into her eyes.

Her pure black, menacing eyes...

"What happened to you?" I whisper in shock as she steps within a metre of me before stopping. "This isn't you, Nisah. Where's the girl that wakes me up when I sleep in over the person before me? You're not a killer, Nisah! I know she picked the wrong people, but you don't go and—" She rolls her eyes and lunges at me, sending me crashing into the wall behind me; her knife barely scraping my throat.

"You want to know what happened to me?!" She hisses. "I realised that there are better things in life than walking around aimlessly everyday in hopes of going up in the ranks of the Gerudo tribe, especially when people like you and that hopeless White are dragging me down into the ashes."

I fight her grip in an attempt of wriggling free, though her abnormal strength is locking me in place. "N-Nisah..."

I feel her knee me in the stomach, tearing out my oxygen supply painfully, her next words slicing through me like a knife to the heart. "Don't "Nisah" me, Ciren! Doing what Nabooru did makes you a traitorous bitch to our King, and you made everything worse by pulling me into it as well! I could have lived perfectly happy without giving my trust to a traitor!"

"How can you—?" Nisah opens her mouth to cut me off again when she's knocked aside by some unknown force. I snap my head up as her head collides with the wooden bunk, effectively knocking her into a semi-conscious state, to discover Nabooru barely holding her gaze with me. "Are you...?

"Ciren." Her authoritative tone comes back as she grabs the Red uniform from my bunk and shoves it into my stomach. "Get Luz and get out of the Valley as fast as you can. I'm going to try and get Nisah and the rest to come back to their senses, but staying here will only make things worse for you." I open my mouth to object when she roars: "That's an order!"

And I won't ever go against that tone.

Taking one last pitiful look at Nisah, I pray for the Goddesses to help her as I force my stiff legs into movement. I break into a fast run as I grab the door frame to spin around in a tight circle so I do not fall. My mind races at a hundred miles per hour as faces like Nisah and Izia flash before my eyes, knowing fully well that they will have fallen under the weird ass influence that has been created.

But I still can't get my head around _why_...

I shake my head as I leap out into the evening air, raising my fingers to my lips and whistling loudly for Luz; hugging the crimson uniform close to my chest as the dust separates when my stallion appears. His saddle is still on, as well as his bridle, and he can definitely see that something isn't right from my restlessness. "It's okay, boy, we're going out on... a big trip."

There's not time for affection like I would usually take the time to do, so I quickly leap up onto his saddle and hold the reign with one hand. I move slowly at first, my mind telling me to go and my heart telling me to stay so I can help Nisah and the others. _That's Nabooru's job, Ciren_, I scold myself after thinking such thoughts of saving them. _Not the job of a Purple, like Nisah said._

_But Nisah wasn't herself!_ Another side of myself argues. The first part of my brain is about to object when Luz whines loudly and I pat his neck softly, flicking the reigns and breaking into a sprint when I suddenly hear: "_Traitor!_" being screamed throughout the Fortress – Nisah appearing from where I exited and locking her dead eyes onto me.

_Crap..._ Both sides agree in unison as I turn back towards the exit of the Fortress. _Run Luz, run!_

I urge him onwards to go as fast as he can, my ears picking up on the sound of another horse pounding their hooves against the dusty earth in pursuit of me and Luz. I don't even want to look around to know who it is, and how angry they are towards me.

Luz carries on further and further out into the canyon, and I hold the uniform in my hands closer to me until it's almost a part of me. _But why do I want to keep something like this?_ My mind asks me. _I love my Sisters, but not enough to stay when they see me as a—_ I cry out in alarm when a burning pain strikes my spine and wedges itself deep into my body.

Daring to look behind, I find Nisah's throwing knife embedded deep within me back; the knife already sending the target numb from the pain. _How the Hell could she do that?_ I panic. _She's been training to do it, but she's never been able to with that much precision..._

And yet when I realise that Nisah is in hot pursuit as I race across the thick bridge of the Valley, I remember how something must have happened between Nisah and Nabooru; and Nisah won. My mind becomes even more clouded and frantic as the pain in my back grows worse and worse, my grip on Luz's reigns growing weaker too quickly.

_The knife must be infused with something if I'm deteriorating this fast..._ My brain whispers quietly as I see the thin board in the distance leading out of the Valley. Neither Luz or I have been this far, and we both hesitate over crossing it despite the current situation.

"Don't worry, boy." I soothe to him quietly. "Just keep going as fast as you can and we'll be okay. I promise..." A wave of pain enters my core, and I bite back a cry of pain again as he leaps over most of the board with incredible speed; his hooves digging deeply into the earth as he skids about to regain his co-ordination across the sandy terrain.

I force myself to look behind, despite the pain that it causes, watching as Nisah's horse rears at the sight of a person appearing in front of them. My eyes barely catch the sight of the familiar White uniform before the canyon walls cover up the both of them.

And then I see it.

For twelve years, I have been waiting for the time when I would finally leave the Valley in pursuit of a life away from all tradition and more of a life that was mine – that was more _unique_. And now I have it, but not ever in the way that I wanted it to be. As the sun sets behind me, I watch as the red earth of Din levels its way out into the luscious green grass that I have never touched before.

Luz whines happily as a tiny smile creases my face. _I'm not free yet, though. But where do I go?_ At the moment, though, I don't care for where I go as long as it is away from the Valley. I kick Luz's side, who moves into a brisk gallop before I have even fully nudged at his sides. The effects of the knife in my back, however, quickly boost up on the level of pain and my eyes begin drooping shut as I feel the terrain shifting towards me.

I'm unconscious before I even land fully against Luz's back as he rides me into the land of freedom.


	6. Chapter 6: Goodbye

_'I guess it's going to have to hurt,  
I guess I'm going to have to cry,  
And let go of things  
I've loved to get to the other side.  
_

_I guess it's going to break me down  
__Like fallin when you're trying to fly,  
__Sad but sometimes  
__moving on with your life  
__starts with goodbye.'_

-Carrie Underwood-

Shards Of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 6: Goodbye

~Link~

A deep blue light fades from around me, and I end up crumpling to the ground without the full support of the light any longer. I let the Deku Shield clatter against the grass of the Meadow, allowing my arm to grasp the cut on my left arm.

Mido stands over me, crossing his arms with a look that makes me feel weak, looking back over to the Great Deku Tree with a slight gasp. I look up myself, discovering with my very own eyes that many leaves lie in a large mound across the Meadow – branches even snapped in half and the bark of the great tree has shadowed over and lost its colour.

"Great Deku Tree!" I break into a run, despite the deep cut in my arm from where Gohma barely missed me. The battle was long and tiring, which shows in how high the sun has risen in the sky ever since we entered the Great Deku Tree, and I barely managed to find some use for the Kokiri Sword with no experience with a blade; but the Shield couldn't have been more helpful.

Mido did help, but he was quaking almost as much as I was. _"Link, the eye is her weakness! Hit her eye!"_ Navi had kept screaming in my ear, even if I had nothing on me to hit her in the eye with – other than the Kokiri Sword, but it's not like I wanted to chuck it straight at her eye and lose it.

Yet Mido, which I thank my lucky stars for, had taken the Slingshot which I had made a few days back and decided to use his brain along with the item after he had retrieved the Kokiri Sword and soon discarded it when he realised what to do after Navi's countless screeches at me; especially when I got hit in my arm. I could barely hold the sword in my hand when I slashed at her eye, especially when my own eyes started acting up when I thought about how bad that must feel with her own eye.

But it was all for the Great Deku Tree, and it was very worth it when we beat her together.

"Well done, Link." The Great Deku Tree rasps, his branches creaking sadly. "You too, Mido. I knew that thou wouldst be able to carry out my wishes and has demonstrated thy courage." I discard the Kokiri Sword and the Deku Shield on the way as I collide with the large shard of vegetation, begging to the Three that he will make it through this.

I sigh as I step back from him, hope sparking within my chest as I ask: "So you're okay then?" I can't help but pause for a moment. "B-But what actually did this to you?"

His closed mouth creases into a small smile, a sad one at that. "A wicked man of the Desert cast this curse upon me, Link. And because of this, my end is nigh." I cry out as if Iv'e taken another hit from Gohma. Mido is without a reaction. "Though yours and Mido's efforts were successful in breaking the curse placed upon me, I was doomed before you had even started..."

"That's cant be true!" I shout, hitting my hand harshly off of the bark without a care when I only hurt myself. "You said... you said... _you can't die!_"

At the sound of me, I can hear numerous growing behind me - but I couldn't care less about them. My only guide in life, my only protector, is losing his life because I couldn't realise... "Do not blame yourself, as I knew of the signs far before you had to awaken." I lift my glassy eyes up at him in a silent question. "Yes, the time has come for me to relay the message to you that I have been waiting to pass onto you."

I sniff and rub my eyes a little, resting my side against him as I listen intently to his wise words; my mind too confused to even think into his past words about being awakened too much. Mumbles of conversations over what has occurred is sounded before I soon drown them out, not trying to listen to them. They aren't dying after all, are they?

"This evil man from the Desert uses his vile, sorcerous powers in search of the Sacred Realm that connects to Hyrule; for it is in this Sacred Realm that one shall find the relic of old: the Triforce, which contains the essence of the Gods." He explains softly.

I sniff again. "T-The Triforce?

"Thy knows the legends of this sacred relic, as I have taught this to you since thou was but a mere child." He pauses again. "Thou must never let the man in black armour to lay his hands on the golden Triforce. Thou must never suffer that man to enter the Sacred Realm of legend with his black heart, as it was he who has sapped my power."

The last part sets me off a little, and I struggle to keep it all back as I sink further into the bark. "I-I can't do this." I whisper. "I can't..."

"Do not grieve for my passing, Link, as I have been able to tell you of these important matters." He says, cutting me off before I can fully lose my emotions again. "Thou standing before me... you are Hyrule's final hope Link. This is why I must ask you of one more favour before I depart."

I straighten a little and look upwards once more. "Anything, Great Deku Tree..."

"You must leave this Forest and move towards the place that entered your slumbers many moons ago, Hyrule Castle, as you shall surely meet the Princess of Destiny who will guide you from there." He explains. "Take this Stone with you and give it to her. This Stone must never been seen by the wicked man, as it was that which the man wanted so much as to place this curse upon me."

Leave the Forest? This sparks a reaction from everyone. If the Kokiri leave the Forest, they'll die not too long after they have stepped out into the outside world. Something isn't right with what the Deku Tree is saying, not that I would ever doubt him; as either we have been lied to about the Kokiri's nature, or I really am not a Kokiri like Mido tells me that I'm not...

I snap my head across to one of the branches when I pick up a twinkling sound, noticing a tiny spark of glowing green rolling off of the branch and literally floating down towards me. I know that the Forest is a place of magic and mysteries, though I never thought that I would see things like this in such a moment.

I hold my hands out as the Stone hovers above my hand before slowly landing into my palms. The Stone seems to be a fancy representation of the Kokiri symbol: a large green jewel decorated with a swirling design moving out to outline the stone in a strange metal (gold, I think), a small part of the metal sticking out at the bottom as well. "The Kokiri's Emerald!" Someone gasps from behind.

"The future depends on thee, Link." The Great Deku Tree whispers softly, and I can tell that his end really is coming. You don't know how much you love something until it is gone, and I think that I won't ever know how much I'll care for the Great Deku Tree even when he is... no, I don't even want to think about it yet. "Thou art courageous, Link. Navi..."

Navi, who has peeped out from underneath my hat ever since we returned to the Meadow, rises from my head and up to the Deku Tree's face. "Yes, Great Deku Tree?"

That small smile on his face grows as she hugs his nose. "Please aid Link is his journey..." He coughs loudly, scaring us all as his voice grows even quieter and even weaker as he says finally: "I entreat ye, Navi... farewell..."

His whole figure creaks and groans as he takes his final breath, one of the branches breaking so much that it lands in half off to the side due to his weakness. The colour of his bark, I never knew it could be so ghostly pale, grows even paler until it is a old grey colour – a colour never seen before in a bright place like the Kokiri Forest.

From behind me, I hear some wail in sorrow while some merely stand and stare; silent tears streaming down their pale faces in horror. I sink onto my knees when I attempt to get onto my feet, the Great Deku Tree's words spinning through my mind as I clutch the Emerald tightly.

_"You must leave this Forest and move towards the place that entered your slumbers many moons ago."_ His whisper echoes through my mind as I gather the strength to rise onto my feet again, the cracks in his bark criss-crossing all over his fragile form. _"Take this Stone with you and give it to her."_ I turn back to my friends, and those who chose not to be my friends, feeling a heavy burden on my head over the fact that although the Deku Tree has said that it wasn't my fault, I still have to leave the place I have been told never to leave.

My eyes notice the Kokiri Sword and the Deku Shield lying across the grass like children's toys, my shaky hands guiding me over to reclaim them. I place the blade in a sheath that I never realised was there until now, and fix the Deku Shield onto my back with some struggle; the Kokiri's Emerald held in a death grip.

I walk slowly across the Meadow, not even daring to look back at the Great Deku Tree – knowing that I'll only get even more upset than I already am – or at the rest of the Kokiri, until I hear: "Y-You're _leaving_?" I turn to see Fado behind me, her sapphire eyes brimming with tears as she takes my free hand. "Y-You can't d-die as well."

I gulp so loudly that I hear it like an explosion. "I have to..." I whisper quietly. "I have to help carry out the Great Deku Tree's will."

"But you can't!" One of the Know-It-All Brothers cries out, rushing up to pull me back into the group. "You know what the Great Deku Tree said: we'll die if we leave the Forest. We don't want any more people d-dying!" He bursts out into tears, dropping onto his knees. Fado passes me a sympathetic look as she kneels down to help him.

The rest of the Kokiri, I notice Mido at the back, suddenly rush up to me in hopes to trying to make me stay. But deep down, I think they know that I want to follow out the Deku Tree's will of taking the Kokiri's Emerald to the Princess of Destiny (whoever she is). "I'll be back once I've taken this," I hold up the Stone. "to who I need to take it to and then—"

"Just let him go, for the sake of Farore." We all look and turn to see Mido pushing his way through the crowd, tears flowing from his own eyes as he adds: "Let's just s-see how much of a Kokiri you really are. If you _a-are_ one, then you'll come back, but if you don't then—"

Someone cries out loudly and cuts him off. "Mido, how could you say that?! The Great Deku Tree has just died! You can't just—Link, wait!"

I break away from the group halfway through and sprint off, the different sides of the Deku Tree's will making my head spin so much that I feel like it's going to fall off. As the tiny spirit orbs whiz past my face, I barely note the drawing I made at the bottom of my house of my fighting a dragon with a Fairy at my side. I have a Fairy now, as she's following me from a few paces behind, but I don't think I'd ever have enough courage to fight something like a dragon.

But after all that has happened, you never know what will happened by the time that I leave the Forest.

Then I skid into a stop when my feet hit the bridge leading out of the Forest over the grassy terrain of the Meadow. I stare at the over-turned log that calls for me, beckons for me to dash through it into my demise without a care in the world. But can I do it? Of course I would want to see the world (and prove Mido wrong), although I could die in the process.

Could I actually do that?

I take a step forwards, Navi waiting apprehensively on my shoulder, my resolve wavering and almost tipping over the edge when I hear a soft voice ask from behind: "So, you really are leaving then?" I whirl around, watching the spinning spirit orbs dance in Saria's eyes. The twinkle in her eyes is understanding, though sad over what has happened over the Great Deku Tree.

"I-I don't know." I whisper back in response. "I wish that everything was different."

She holds her hand up in an empathetic way, stopping me before I can go off again. "I wish that I didn't have to be like this. I always knew that you were different from me and my friends, but I never thought that all of this would come down to everything that has occurred on this day."

"I know that I'm different, Saria." I mutter. "You don't need to rub it in..."

She shakes her head and steps closer to me, pushing her dark head-band back through the her bright green hair. "I don't mean it like that. I just... can sense something different about you than I can sense with the Kokiri, Link, something unique. But it isn't something to be taken harshly." She pauses, knowing what I'm thinking more about. "And take no notice of Mido. He may always say that, but he's more upset than ever now. You know that."

I sigh. "Yeah... I guess I do."

A long moment of silence occurs where neither of us speak. I watch as the mid-day sunshine sparkles off of her features, reflecting into her eyes and forming the crystals of tears that carefully slip from her pale cheeks. Before I can do anything else, I draw her into a deep hug and let my emotions fall again.

She soon pulls away and takes my hand into both of her own, putting a small brown pouch into it. "What's that?"

"Remember when you gave it to me for my birthday a few months ago?" I rise my eyes to meet hers and nod, recalling the day like it was yesterday. "You made it for me because I kept moaning that I had ran out of space for my money. Not that I need it really..."

I breathe out a tiny laugh and a natural smile appears on my face, the tears being consumed by the edges of them. "But why are you giving it back?" I ask curiously. "I thought that you liked it..."

"Hey." She lets go of one hand and cups my cheek, brushing away the tears. "I love it, and I love you. Never forget that. I want to give it to you because the Great Deku Tree helped me to charm it a while back to I can put in as many things that I want to. But now that you're going... I thought that you could have something to help remember me."

My smile turns into a frown. "But I couldn't ever forget you." I promise to her. "And I'm sure that I'll be back soon."

And then she gives me a look that I've seen a lot when she looks at me. A look that says that she knows something that I don't. It never used to bother me at first, but being here now, it really does now. She soon shakes her head and pulls the bag strapped over her shoulder around so she can take something out of it. "And I want to give you this as well..."

She holds out a small object to me, and I recognise it immediately. "I can't take your Ocarina, Saria, you know that." The small cream Ocarina lies in her hands, decorated with her name in green ink – my own name scribbled in horrible handwriting around the mouthpiece when she first played it with me.

"I want you to have it..." She chokes back a sob. "Because we'll be best friends forever, w-won't we?" She places the Ocarina in my hand and curls my fingers around it, helping to tie the pouch to my belt at the side. She rests her hand atop mine and starts getting emotional again, so I bring her into another hug – not sure of what else to do in this situation.

Her eyes soon fall on the exit of the Forest. "Saria, I..."

"Don't." She sobs. "Just... play the Ocarina and come back to the Forest someday, okay? And... think of me from time to time too." She finally lets go of my hand, but I don't even think about putting it away. I stare at her glassy eyes like I can't see anything else in the Forest but her. Her eyes, they're _really_ beautiful when the sun is out like this.

I keep watching her as I take a single step backwards, my heart screaming for me to stay while my brain tells me to carry out the Great Deku Tree's will with all due respect for him; both of them soon leading back to the Forest, I hope. The weight of death doesn't feel so harsh on me, but I don't know why.

Navi soon rises from my shoulder and holds a hand out to Saria. "I'll protect him for you, Saria. I'm Navi, but just know that he'll always be okay with his Guardian Fairy nearby to help him." My eyes fill with tears as Saria holds her finger out for a handshake, her heartfelt words touching as she turns to me. "I think it's time, Link..."

"Won't you die if you leave the Forest?" I don't like the word "die", but it's been said too many times today that it almost sounds natural for a thirteen year-old like me.

She shakes her head slightly. "I'll get tired from time to time, but I'll be okay. The Great Deku Tree chose me to be your Guardian Fairy and cast a spell upon me to help. Don't worry about me. It really should be me worrying about you when it comes to being a Guardian." On this, she flies back underneath my hat, her warmth surging through my head as I turn my gaze back to Saria.

"I don't want to have to do this..." I whisper softly.

She smiles sadly. "I know." I take another step backwards, then another. I take one more while still looking at her when she calls out: "Wait!" I halt immediately, watching her with sad eyes as she moves closer to me, holding the hand with the Ocarina. "Please don't forget me."

She moves even closer until her lips brush mine, pushing closer until she fully kisses me. My reaction is shocked at first, until I find myself letting myself fall into it myself without any hesitation. When she finally pulls away, she's so close to my face that I can feel her breath against my skin. There's only one thing that I can say as her hand cups my cheek again.

"I promise."

She pulls away with tear filled eyes, and my body reacts without my mind wanting to. I'm running away before anything else can stop me, and the rush of the wind ahead of me is blocked out by the emotions threatening to burst free as my feet leave the Forest and I finally find myself free as I run into either my independence or my demise.

But both is heartbreaking...


	7. Chapter 7: Discovery

_**Author's Note:**_ I am really not proud of this chapter, so say what you like about it; as I want to know how I could make it better. Still, please sit back and enjoy this chapter. And please say if you do not understand something.

_**Extra Note:** I have a new poll on my page concerning the third part of the Demon Trilogy, so please check it out if you are interested._

_'Discovery consists not in seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes.'_

-Marcel Proust-

Shards Of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 7: Discovery

~Link~

"Link, for the sake of the Goddesses themselves, stop holding your mouth open like that! You're going to swallow a house if you keep that up any longer, or you'll stick like it!" I smirk to myself as Navi shouts again at how my face is due to my amazement. She apparently doesn't get how amazed one can be when looking at a place which you have never been to before.

"You can't say that you aren't excited too!" I retort, pointing at her. "Admit it, you're more excited than I am but you just don't want to admit it."

She shrugs and flies back above my head, signalling the end of our conversation. The grass moves out into a dusty pathway that leads through a set of incredibly small trees before moving outwards into a very open terrain; Navi called it "Hyrule Field", I think. "This is incredible..." I whisper to myself as I break off into a full out run. "This is the "world" then..." I note Navi smiling broadly at me. "What? It's not like you've seen all of this as well!"

"I may not have, but at least I don't look look like a kid on their birthday." I pass a look and roll my eyes as I look back around. The sky is so blue out here compared to being covered by the canopy of trees in the Forest, and the grass is so much greener out here too. If anything, I would probably almost start blending in with the grass itself...

Over to the right, I start to see a massive chunk of rock rise above the field itself, a big ring of cloud circling it; and large stretch of water flowing across the ground underneath. "Did the Great Deku Tree tell you what any of this is is out here?" I ask bluntly, getting a look from her and a shake of her head. "I was just wondering... you never know, he could have told you when he told you to come and get me."

She soon finds herself laughing as we reach the top of a small hill, despite both of us thinking about the Great Deku Tree's demise, places soon popping up in front of me. In what seems to be the very centre of the terrain is a few houses made with something other than wood like my house was – looking a lot fancier too – however, a random wall ahead of me is stopping me from seeing more of what it is; so I rush over to it to grab a better view.

The houses are rather cut off by thick walls around it, but it looks cosy and safe – so I really should consider staying there later if I can't find Hyrule Castle before sundown. I don't think travelling through an unknown area in the middle of the night is a good idea...

Still, off to my right now seems to be a very familiar place.

The wall from my dream is back, with the torches and wooden bridge down still there like nothing has changed. Still, the clouds aren't dark any longer and it doesn't look near as scary as it did in my dream. I soon fall into a daydream, however, so I shake myself out of it as quickly as I can. "Stop acting so crazy, Link!" Navi hisses in my ear.

"Well excuse me, Navi." I hiss back. "But this is a big deal, okay? I'd rather have you state the obvious over acting so annoying."

She rolls her eyes and bobs in front of my face in a wild panic. "What like: look Link, that must be Hyrule Castle ahead, that must be where Princess Zelda is! Or: look Link, the day is already ticking by, so get your ass towards the place ahead before I force you there myself!" I shake my head, but find myself laughing straight at her as we fall into a fit of giggles.

I smirk as I pass her a look, which she raises her eyebrow at. "What?"

"And _that_ is why I have been waiting for a Guardian Fairy..."

* * *

~Interlude~

The air was cool against Malon's face as the cart moved along softly. She lay with her small back against the wooden cart, crates of produce around her body as she let her legs dangle off of the edge. She loved nights like this, especially when she could see all of the stars above her and the moon rising into the midnight purple sky.

She sighed as she drew her hands behind her head, beginning to point out the particular constellations in her head. There was almost too many to count as some of the dust spewed upwards from one of the wheels catching a rock made of sand. The cart jerked for a moment before reverting back to how the ride was before: comfortable.

"Sorry dear!" Her father, Talon, called from the back as he snapped the reigns in front of him. "Almost home now."

A tiny smile cracked the surface of her face as she called back a simple: "Okay!" The smell of the grass filled her senses, reminding her of how badly it had rained earlier. Hyrule was not a stranger to rain, especially in the current summer, but that rainfall was crazy. Thunder and lightning carried on for so long that the animals couldn't go back out to graze for a good eight hours.

That only meant that Malon had to be holed up in the barn then, with nothing else to do but hear about Ingo's countless moans about her father's lack of work in the Ranch. Still, life on Lon Lon Ranch – the only Ranch in Hyrule, and run by her family for generations – wasn't all that bad. She was able to be "one with nature", as her late mother had told her, and could have fun while helping out her family too.

She sighed again as the stars winked and twinkled down on her, the brightest one being called "Malinda's Star" by Malon herself after her late mother. She had the honour of having a name combined with her father's to create Malon's name, and life on the Ranch became incredibly hard when her mother died.

The songs that Malon sung all of the time over the Ranch reminded her of her mother, especially with horses like Epona – who Malinda had trusted to Malon before passing away. The pounding of hooves ahead of her began lulling her to sleep as her late mother's face appeared before her closed lids. She was almost about to drop off when she heard a sound in the very distant night, drawing her up into an upright position.

It was the sound of another, much more distressed sounding, horse.

She searched around through the bleak night for the location of the horse. It wasn't unusual to have horses moving around Hyrule wildly, but not one sounding so distressed. When her eyes finally found the mare, the lights of the Ranch reflected across the grass to expose both the horse and the mysterious rider above it.

The chestnut horse, she soon realised was a stallion with its build, with white tufts of hair down the bridge of his nose looked around the Field hesitantly; as if he had never been in in a place like Hyrule Field before. She shrugged for a moment, merely thinking that the horse had lost its way from the group which he was from – until she realised that the horse's rider was slumped over the horse's back, something red staining the stallion's fur.

_They could be asleep..._ She told herself simply, only to soon add: _But very few sleep on horses when on a long trip. What if the red stuff is...?_

"Father!" Malon called to her father, hesitation deep within her voice. "There's someone over there, and they're hurt!" The cart jerked into a stop after a few moments, Talon looking over his shoulder to see what was going on. When his eyes caught on to the incoming horse, who had apparently spotted them in hopes of helping the rider, his eyes widened.

He grabbed his mare's reigns again uncomfortably. "Malon, honey, we can't help them. They're Gerudo, I can tell by the horse's garments and the rider's clothes. You know about the stories, Malon... helping them will only bring pain to us and the Ranch."

Yes, Malon had heard about all of the stories. The Gerudo only came out of the Desert to either steal or conceive a child. Many Hylians saw and called them many things that Malon was never allowed to say aloud – she had once, but never found out the meaning of it, only that it sounded like "horse".

"I don't care Father. Only because Mom was a Gerudo and left you after doesn't mean that I should hate them as well!" Malon couldn't let someone in need alone, not after she couldn't help her mother when she got sick. She was determined to help this person, no matter what their race was, and she wasn't going to let her racist father stop her.

Malinda, her mother, was a Gerudo by default; and had fallen in love with Talon only to conceive a child. Malon's father had realised this when Malinda had tried to take Malon to the Desert so she could be raised as a Gerudo, which Talon objected to. They argued and Malinda left, Malon only seeing her a few times before Malinda passed away from old age.

With a deep breath, she leapt off of the cart and towards the distressed horse. Her father called for her many times as her tiny boots squelched through the muddy Field, yet she paid no regard to him as she near the stallion. Her courage wasn't going to fail her now.

It couldn't...

* * *

~Link~

Navi tugs at my sleeve and screams: "Come on, Link! The bridge is going up!"

"Navi, when I told you to be more obvious over being annoying; I didn't meant for you to be both!" I roll my eyes. "I think I can see for myself, dear!" She huffs but doesn't say anything, making me grin when I realise that I've actually won the argument – something different from when I argued with Mido, but that was Mido after all; and he always thought that he was right, so he twisted it.

"I can be whatever I want to be." She scoffs, although still smiling. A few moments pass before she quietly says: "I really am glad that I'm your Guardian Fairy, you know. I don't what I would be like if I was following a person like Mido. I'm sure that he's not as bad if he would let people in... but you're a lot kinder."

I smile genuinely for once. "Thank-you. And if there's a chance that I really am a Kokiri, then I'm glad that I got to—"

"Stop it." She cuts in, raising her hand. "You're not getting away from me that easily."

I keep quiet as we carry on further towards the bridge, the sun setting quicker and quicker which is making me even more anxious. We could go back to where those houses were before, but I want to get to where the Deku Tree wanted me to as fast as possible - as much as I want to get sidetracked by the wonders of the world. Nonetheless, I can see the sky darkening from here; and it doesn't bode—

Something, I have no idea _what_ it is, howls in the distance as the sun soon drags across the darkening sky – and I can see the bridge ahead of us moving upwards.

"Come on, Link!" Navi cries, tugging me along again. "We've gotta get there before the bridges goes up!" I try and speed myself up as much as I can, my mind forcing my legs onwards as hope rises within me that we will make it before the bridge goes up. My hope fades, however, when I reach the bit of water separating me from the town ahead when the bridge slams shut against the wall; stopping anyone from entering from after sundown.

I stare at the large slab of wood for a very long time, my heart sinking as the lights of the torches flicker mockingly at my face. _"Try and get over here now, kid"_ I can hear then whisper. _"You can't, can you?"_ As strange as it may seem already that torches have voices, it sounds a little like Mido in my mind; but I guess that's what you get after living with him for so long...

"You've got to be joking!" Navi almost screams as she flies straight into the bridge, pounding her entire body against it numerous times in hope of it opening. No prevail occurs. "We've _got_ to get in there!"

"Navi..." I say quietly.

She whirls back around. "No, Link, we need to get in there and—what the Hell is that look for?!" I hear something halfway through her miniature rant, and my face must have shown it. It sounded much like twigs were snapping in half, but lots of them at once and sounding a little too close to for comfort too. "Watch out!" She zips over my head and turns into a yellow orb as I spin around, my eyes focusing on a moving skeleton.

How can that _thing_ even be alive?!

My mind tells me that when a Guardian Fairy goes yellow, it's not a good thing – so my instincts shift accordingly as I roll out of the way of one of the skeletons, only to find another one rising from the ground in front of me. "Link, don't be afraid of the Stalchild!" I hear Navi cry from ahead. "Just attack it repeatedly!"

"How the Hell do you know what it's called?!" I can't help but ask in the blur of bones as I rip out the Kokiri Sword for protection, a tiny voice in the back of my head telling me that it must be a human – like people becoming Stalfos when they get lost in the Lost Woods back in the Forest – but the main part of my brain screaming at me to attack as much as I can so I can save my own skin.

_Welcome to Hyrule, Link..._

"Link, pay attention!" I slash at a Stalchild without a second thought as a set of bones comes down to strike me, sending shattered bones and dust across the grass so I can get onto my feet and run – if there is anywhere to. "Thank-you..." Her voice is more relieved than sarcastic, which brings a small smile onto my face.

My smile, however, is soon wiped off when I hear the twig-snapping sound again and a scream in the distance. Even as a Fairy, I can feel Navi tensing up against my neck as I dodge another swing of a Stalchild as one of those animals from the dream comes barrelling across the grassy terrain – the chestnut coloured horse pulling along a cart of goods behind it while trying to frantically dodge the Stalchildren rising from the earth.

"We need to help them!" I cry out, bursting into a run as one of the Stalchildren hoist itself onto the goods cart where two girls with fiery red hair sit; one of them letting out a screech while the other lies across the cart, apparently unconscious.

I sheathe the sword and stuff my hand into my bag to see if I have anything to help me, feeling the familiar handle of my Slingshot resting next to the Ocarina. _When the Hell did that get in there?_ I soon shrug as I pull it out, grabbing some ammunition from inside and aiming at the Stalchild on the cart; the animal now stopping fully to try and fight off the Stalchildren itself.

I release the string, watching as the Deku Seed slams into the side of the Stalchild's head and sending it toppling off of the cart in a heap of bones. Taking a deep breath, Navi flies out to distract the other Stalchildren while I go off and take care of that other Stalchild before it can start terrorising those girls again.

I slash at the Stalchild only a few times before it dissolves away in a bright green light; like the spirit orbs back in the Forest. My heart feels a shot of pain for a few moments at the memory, but the conscious girl is holding her hand up to me and snaps me away from my thoughts before the can consume me fully. I watch her for a long few moments, taken away by her gesture. However, she understands this and says: "Grab on!" with a shake of her hand.

Her blue eyes bore into my own, her crimson hair slightly messy and falling onto her white dress; a pale orange scarf over her shoulders held together by a bronze medallion. After a while, I grab onto her hand and allow her to hoist me onto the cart. "Are you okay?" I ask quietly. "I saw them attack you and..."

"I'm fine, whoever you are. Dad, go!" She calls over to the man holding the reigns of the animal, hearing him snapping the reigns as both the animal and the cart jerks into motion. I almost fall over at how fast we speed off. She kneels down to the other girl on the cart, a liquid staining the wooden structure. "I found her with her horse like this, and I just had to help her..."

She looks a little like the girl from my dream, only in a purple coloured uniform instead.

I kneel down as well. "Horse?"

"You don't know what a horse is?" She doesn't look up, only turns back to the brown coloured animal following behind us which the girl must have been on when she was found. "That's a horse." Her eyes flicker up as I slam the Kokiri Sword into a passing Stalchild before it can get near us, hitting another one ahead with the Slingshot. "When we get to the Ranch, they won't bother us. But they've never been like this before in the few months that they have been here."

"What are they?"

She shrugs. "No idea. Father says that they're formed of magic, as his Sheikah side acts up when there's magic about." She pauses as she takes off her scarf and puts it on the injured girl's back. "I saw you locked out of Castle Town, so you can stay with us for a while if you like." Her hand is stuck out me again. "I'm Malon. I would have told you earlier, but the Stalchildren were a bit of a bother."

I breathe out a laugh as I shake her hand. "I'm Link. I came from the Kokiri Forest today, but I guess I wasn't fast enough to get into "Castle Town" before the sun went down."

"The Forest?" I nod, her eyes finding Navi. "So _that's_ why you have a Fairy. Well, Fairy Boy, I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship when all of this chaos is over." My smile grows as we release hands, watching as she addresses the knife stuck in the girl's back still. _Fairy Boy?_ I don't understand why I seem to like it, as it only reminds me of the Forest even more. Even if I did die out here, I managed to meet somebody nice first.

_Welcome to Hyrule, Link._


	8. Chapter 8: Wounded

_'If you can't fly, then run,_  
_if you can't run, then walk,_  
_is you can't run, then crawl,_  
_but whatever you do,_  
_you have to keep moving forward.'_

-Martin Luther King Jr.-

Shards Of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 8: Wounded

~Ciren~

With a groan, I slowly blink my eyes open; the dull pain in my back still lingering. I lie on something incredibly soft, and on my front, but it isn't on Luz whatsoever. I note a small white pillow and a set of beige coloured blankets lying softly over my body. I clutch my head and rub my face like I usually do when I don't want to be awake – the pain not helping in my current situation.

_Where, for the love of Nayru, am I?_

I attempt to rise onto my knees, only to wince and end up merely propping myself onto my elbows on my side. I look down, finding myself still in my Purple uniform, discovering thick white bandages covering a lot of my abdomen. By the time I look up, my brain fully registers what exactly happened when I was last conscious. _"I could have lived perfectly happy without giving my trust to a traitor!"_

A shiver runs down my spine as I shift my eyes around the room, attempting to figure out where on earth I am. Along the wall is a thin set of drawers that stretches across most of the room, a set of shelves mounted on the walls above it filled with book and plants. In the very centre of the room is a large round table atop a very simple rug.

_This isn't the Valley_, I think to myself. _But who would actually be in the outside world at night of all times...?_ Straight ahead of me is another rug, this time simply red, along with a white chest of drawers and a wardrobe; more plants dotted around the room and two pairs of shoes by the door in the corner opposite me.

I let a grunt escape as I force myself onto my hands and knees, then letting my legs swing over the bed. I stagger a little when my bare feet collide with the wooden planks of the flooring, though I do manage to catch myself. Scanning the room, I notice a set of shutters next to my bed and push them open (despite the winces I let out) – revealing part of my location.

Before me is the widest expanse of greenery that I have ever seen, the Castle in the far distance, and the very place that Luz rode into before I lost consciousness. This is the beautiful land is Hyrule, and yet I cannot feel the full beauty of it when I have the weight of the Gerudo on my shoulders after what happened to Nisah. I feel a cramp in my stomach for a moment or two, but I soon discover it leaving when I shift my mind away from the touchy subject.

"You're awake." I spin around, finding a red-head around my age standing in the doorway; her blue eyes relieved but still worried. "I found you two nights ago limp and unconscious. I don't think that you have an infection, but you should really rest until—"

I shake my head. "I can't. I've only just gotten out of the Valley, and I intend to spend every day I can looking at every nook and cranny of Hyrule."

She sighs and moves closer to me, picking up my Red uniform and my Purple shoes on the way from the baskets piled up high by the door – passing them to me as she sits on the bed. "Have you... ever head of a Gerudo called Malinda?" She avoids my gaze as I stay by the window and nod, birds tweeting in the distance. "She was my Mother, but Dad always said that she was a... a "bitch"... was she ever like that, when she was alive?"

"She was almost at the top of our Hierarchy, but some pranks she did stopped her." The girl's face shifts into a smile. "She was like a mom to me, as she always hung around with me and my friend Nisah; helping us with our work and trying to aid us when we were on a mission to piss off everyone around the Fortress. She never said that she had a daughter. I-I missed her when she died." I pause, shaking my head. "But she was nothing like a bitch, I promise you."

The girl smiles and finally looks up at me. "Thank-you. If I could just help Dad realise that, then everything would be so much better around here. He's always hated the Gerudo with a passion when she tried to raise me as a Gerudo, but he never saw her again until we found out that she was gone."

"She was the best Gerudo that anyone could be." I assure. A pregnant silence appears for a long time, and it's me who finally breaks it. "Where actually _are_ we, if you don't mind me asking..." I trail off when I realise that I do not know her name, which she soon catches on to.

"Oh, I'm Malon. And my Dad is Talon. We own Lon Lon Ranch in the centre of Hyrule." She clarifies. "What's your name?"

I deeply consider altering my name just in case I am caught out at any point during this new life at mine. But after all that she said about Malinda the Red... I can't do that to her or myself. "I'm Ciren. I don't know who my parents are, except that my Mom was a Gerudo, but hopefully I might find something out here that will show me." I subconsciously reach for my locket, thankfully feeling that it hasn't left my neck since the Feast.

I look over to the headboard of the bed when another silence grows. A large vase of Hylia Roses sit on the headboard accompanied by a few jewellery boxes that Hylians are said to be very fond of, a few drawings of Malon and Cuccos; although there's one on the wall of a woman holding the Triforce in her hand. _Probably the dreams that we all had as a child: to wish on the Triforce..._

Malon suddenly gets up and shatters the silence, taking my tanned hand into her pale one. "I better tell Dad and that Fairy Boy that you're awake! I can show you 'round the Ranch, if you want, as you said that you didn't want to go back and..."

I nod before she can finish her sentence, letting myself part with my uniform and shoes as she helps me across what I assume is her bedroom and the dining room mixed together. We walk through the door and emerge out into a large room filled to the brim with Cuccos, an older man with a large beard leaning against the table at the bottom of the stairs – fast asleep. "Is there supposed to be so many Cuccos in here?"

"Uh-huh." She replies. "It's a Ranch after all. Dad!" She releases my hand and bounds down the stairs towards who I guess is Talon. "Dad, wake up! She's awake!" He doesn't budge or wake one bit, so Malon has to literally jump on him when his hand falls limply against the floor; finally waking him up after and ancient sleep.

"What in tarnation?!" He exclaims as he snaps awake. "Can't a person get a little shut-eye around—Malon, what are you doing?"

She rolls her eyes and look over at me, as I still stand at the very top of the stairs. "Dad, the girl we found is awake! She's gonna be okay after all, I think!" I feel my whole stomach dropping to the floor and even further down when his gaze shifts up to meet mine. After all that happened with Malinda, I don't think he wants to be all happy happy with us Gerudos; and I am not out of that circle just yet.

He doesn't say anything for a long, _long_ time, so I build some courage to move down the steps. "Hi... I'm Ciren. I-I heard a little about Malinda, and I promise that she was a good person and that the rest of the Gerudo are good as well. It's just... well, the King is—"

His death glare shuts me up, and I carefully start backing away. The look on Malon's face is sympathetic, but I don't take it in over the look on her father's face. My hand soon grasps the door knob, and I almost stumble out of the room before anything else can be done or said about Malinda or the Gerudo in general.

_Poor Malon..._

* * *

The fresh air hits me almost immediately. The green grass sways gently against my bare feet, tickling my skin comfortingly as I let the rays of luscious sunlight wash over my figure. The pain in my back has dulled even more now, so I guess that I must have been fed numerous Red Potions during the two nights here, but the whining of many horses suddenly grabs at my brain.

_Luz..._ My eyes snap over to the left, ignoring the other building in front of me as I jog past the cracked walls of the home where I can hear Malon shouting at her father (guilt seeping into my body at that fact); and underneath the sign that says clearly: "_Lon Lon Ranch_", the area opening out.

A large corral holds many horses within it, some other horses riding freely around the edge of the corral happily. The Ranch here is a lot more peaceful than the Stables back in the Valley, and it is certainly better in my opinion. I shift into a walk as I head into the middle of the corral, standing in the very centre and searching around for my stallion. He couldn't have been separated from me when Malon found us, he _can't_ have gone back to the Valley...

That's when I hear a very familiar sound from behind me.

"Luz!" I whirl around, watching in happiness as my chestnut stallion gallops towards me, and run as best as I can to cover more distance between us too. I brag onto his nose and hug him as tightly as I can without blocking his air flow. "I've missed you!" Even though I haven't been conscious for our separation, I can still feel how sad Luz has been over the past two days.

He nudges me away and gestures towards my back with his nose, but I find myself unable to answer when another voice cuts in for me. "Hey, Link, it's that girl you helped Malon save!" I spin around on my heel, Luz gently touching my bandaged back. In my face is a big ball of light, which sends me tumbling to the ground in surprise. I reach back for my scimitar, only to realise that I no longer have mine since the Feast incident.

"Navi, I think I'd know that being that I was right there with you..." I watch the blades of grass for a few moments, lost in the thoughts of the Feast, only to e drawn back into reality when a pale hand is stuck out to me. When I look up, however, I find someone who the orb rests against in surprise; the orb which I now realise is a Guardian Fairy.

He strikingly resembles the Kokiri which I have heard quite a bite about. The boy, maybe a little older than myself, wears the same green clothing that I heard is the trademark of the immortal Kokiri. He wears a forest green tunic and brown boots that are covered by the thick grass here, a long hat on his head making me smirk a little. When he realises this, he simply rolls his eyes and pulls it off – revealing a mop of blonde hair underneath which he blows out of his blue eyes.

Shaking my head, I stand up myself and dust off my clothes. I open my mouth to make fun of his clothes, especially the hat, but he holds his hand up and says: "I've heard it all off of Malon. I dress weird compared to everyone else, I know, but I don't have much else and green is my colour. Okay?" My smile only grows as he puts his hat back on.

"Are you the Fairy Boy that Malon talked about?" I wonder aloud. "I mean, from the Fairy and the clothes..."

"Yeah, I am. But I kinda prefer "Link" honestly, as it _is_ my actual name." He crosses his arms. "And who are you? I heard something about you being a Gerudo and to be careful with them, but I'd want to hear your perspective before I made an opinion of you; even if you insulted the way that I dress before actually giving me your name."

I laugh a little as I move back over to Luz. "I'm Ciren. And although the Gerudo aren't... currently trustworthy, I am one of the few who are consumed by the thirst for power and whatnot." I pause as Luz lets out a sad whine, forcing his nose into my hand for affection before pointing at my back. "I got out, but I didn't go unscathed. But other than that, I suppose, the Gerudo aren't that bad."

He smirks straight at me. "I guess I'll see that for myself."

* * *

I lie lazily against the grass, my hands folded behind my head as I watch the near blood red sun setting in the west. I sit facing away from the buildings of the Ranch, Luz curled up beside me comfortingly, watching as the almost orange clouds glide effortlessly across the sky. The setting sun illuminates the grass like a torch in the shadows, the blades of grass flickering from light to dark as they sway in the gentle breeze; the flowers joining in as well.

Yet it is the sky itself is more of a palette of colours rather than an ordinary sky. Nayru had painted the sky a bright blue earlier today so Din has mixed in the red, creating a swirl of colours. To the left half of the sky is a deep purple, the stars beginning to twinkle into my vision, and the right half of the sky is a bright pink – the clouds missing between the colours as they follow the sun's guidance across the blur of colours, a thick line of yellow on the horizon from Farore herself.

I soon hear footsteps behind me, and it takes a lot within me not to turn around before I notice a familiar pair of boots stop on my left-hand side. My eyes catch on the grass, and I fall into a daze of memories before acknowledging him fully. "I never could lie out in the twilight like this, as the Whites would have a fit and the sand was always cutting at my skin..." I trail off for a moment. "I never thought that replacing the sand with grass would make everything feel all that much better."

He takes a seat beside me and lies on his back, mimicking my position. "Me and a friend of mine used to do this a lot. Especially when all of the stars were out like they will be in an hour or so." He explains, falling silent before asking: "Why did you leave the Desert, Ciren? If you don't mind me asking, that is."

"Nah, it's okay." I whisper. "Me and Nisah, a close friend of mine, were sent out to the Spirit Temple deep within the Desert itself. Very few make it to there, as the storms that are summoned there by Din have killed a lot due to the force of them. We found out some... dark things about our King, Ganondorf, and we were promoted for taking the risk of setting out there."

He watches intently, twisting onto his side and resting on his elbow for support as I continue; holding my hand out to emphasise my points. "The next day was a massive Feast, one that the King actually attended for once, where we were given our uniforms. But then Nisah hadn't come back for a while, and the King's second- in-command – Nabooru – had helped me escape when we realised that the King's work in black magic ended up cursing those who drank that night."

"His second-in-command?" Link wonders. "Wouldn't she still be loyal to the King?"

I shrug. "We are all loyal to the King, but I am wavering after he made Nisah back-stab me. _Literally_." I shift uncomfortably. "But what about you? Why did you leave the Forest? It sounds like a pretty cool place, if you ask me."

"The Great Deku Tree, our leader of sorts, had summoned me and asked to break the curse that the black armoured man from the Desert had placed upon him." Intrigue grips me as I turn to him, while he shifts back onto his back. "He had finally given me a Guardian Fairy, something which I never had from being young like everyone else, but he was doomed before I had been helped in breaking the curse."

_Why did the King curse the Great Deku Tree?_ "Anyway, the Great Deku Tree told me to take the Kokiri Emerald to the "Princess of Destiny" – whoever she is – and she would guide me from there." He pauses for a long time, whether contemplating something. "But if I am a Kokiri, then I would probably be dead by now. So if I am still alive... then everything that I was told since I was young was a complete lie. Hell, I don't even know who my parents were..."

"Hey." I place a hand on his arm and pull out the locket. "I guess we may have one or two things in common, in a dark sort of way. I don't know who my parents were either." A tiny smile creases his face as his Guardian Fairy emerges from underneath his hat, her name being Navi; I think. "And you finally decided that greeting someone right in front of their face was a bad idea."

"Everyone makes mistakes." She says with a shrug. "And I hate to attack the Cucco here, but I think that you should guys should really be sleeping before the sun goes down. Link said that he wanted to head into Castle Town tomorrow, so you can come with us tomorrow. If you want to, of course."

I smile. "Give me a reason to say no."

* * *

I stand in front of Malon's full-length mirror in her bedroom, looking straight at the almost alien figure before me that is myself. Link helped Malon get the horses back into the barn for the evening, even if he has no experience with horses, just to try I guess; but I haven't seen any of them or Talon tonight. I guess I must have made such a bad impression on the family that I need to be isolated from them for their benefit.

Nonetheless, I see how I look in the scarlet uniform that I wear – the memories flowing back to me in a single rush that I barely manage to withhold. _"Goddesses, this is too much..."_ I bite my lip as I rip away the bandage and twist around the see the gash in my back. The thin, vertical slit may not still be bleeding but is still surrounded in an angry red across my tanned skin.

I hesitate for a moment, then poke it just to see what will happen. And, of course, I wince harshly and bite back an oath as I look around for some less worn bandages. I find some in the baskets by the room, noticing a pair of incredibly worn boots standing in the now open doorway. "You know, you wouldn't have to get new bandages if you didn't keep wearing the wound in to scar it."

"I am not trying to scar it, Malon. I just want it gone as fast as possible." I tell her without turning to see her as I pick up a few rolls of pristine white bandages.

I straighten as she crosses her arms, stepping back when she tries to cover the cut back up herself. I'm not going to let others do the work that I can do myself. "We're getting dinner ready if you want some, Ciren. It won't be a lot, as there's high demand for crops and whatnot, but you only ate once today at lunch and that's about it."

I shrug. "I'm fine. I've lost my appetite." I attempt to move away from her more, but she takes my arm. "What?"

"Ignore my Dad. He has trouble letting things go." She states simply before releasing my arm, almost sending me stumbling back from her grip supporting me so much. "Mom was the best thing that ever happened to him, but he can't understand that the rest of Gerudo are not the same as her; or people who will manipulate others for their own benefit."

And then she's gone, the door creaking shut.

I stare at the closed door for a long time, the tiny slits from the shutters beside me illuminating the floor. I can't help but feel a little confused as the footsteps of others on the Ranch shuffle about, going about their business. _She's had it tough_, is the only thing that my brain can muster before going fuzzy again.

* * *

"You've got everything in your saddlebag?" I nod at Malon, who watches both Link and I with concern. "You have all of the food and water? What about Lon Lon Milk? Have you got spare clothes? Have you got Potions too? You never know what will be happening out there with that Stalchild attack and—"

I hold my hand up. "Malon. We're going to Castle Town." I tell her. "You said yourself that Castle Town is filled with loads of things to do and all of the supplies that we'll ever need. And besides, we're only delivering the Kokiri Emerald before we'll be either coming back here or going 'round the other villages. There's no need to worry about us."

"I really do worry a lot..." She shrugs, resting her hand on Luz's nose. "I must get it from Mom. I can't help but worry when you don't know your way around Hyrule, and your wound is barely healed. I want to go with you so badly to see family in Castle Town, but I need to help Ingo when he takes his "pre-nap" naps..."

I hesitate when she talks about Talon, so I busy myself with looking through the saddlebag. She packed it this morning especially for us, which we are very grateful for. She's filled it with food when we can't find an inn, both water and Lon Lon Milk, some medical supplies in case I do something to my back or anything else happens that injures either of us, as well as spare blankets and clothes. She even cleaned Luz up too...

"Thank-you, Malon. We really do owe you for letting you house us and give us so much." Link thanks as I shut the saddle bag and meet his eyes. "Are you ready to go?"

I am about to nod when I hear footsteps crunching against the grass, moving closer to our position in front of the barn. We all turn in unison, watching hesitantly as Talon walks towards us with a stern look mainly towards myself. He stands tall over me in particular, Malon and Link subconsciously shuffling behind me.

"I am not ready to accept the Gerudo race." He states. "_But_, I can sense something ahead of you that is not all happy-go-lucky." I gulp harshly, getting more and more worried by the second; especially when he brings my hands upwards and closing my hands around two thin sheaths atop each other. "Part of letting go is to pass on the memories, especially when the person you are passing the memory on to knew them well."

I shift my head down to the sheaths in my hands, pulling one blade out of the sheath to expose a pure silver scimitar to the morning rays of sunshine. From the bottom of the blade the very top, numerous designs and Gerudo words move in a thin line across the blade. A part I can easily pick out is: _"Be prepared to battle for a dream that is worth dreaming"_, and I know who this scimitar belongs to automatically.

"I cannot take Malinda's scimitar. It belongs to you and you—"

He shakes his head. "No. It belongs to the Gerudo race, and I wish to pass it on to you." He pauses. "Malon told me of what has happened to your race, and I know that you will have a long road ahead of you which you are semi-alone in." He gestures to Link and Malon. "Keep your friends close, Ciren. As you won't know what you are missing before they are gone."

On that, he merely turns on his heel and walks across into the barn in front of us - leaving the three of us stunned as the sun glints off of the blade, my stunned face being reflected back at me. Link and Malon move around so they can see the blades, and I feel hesitant in running my slightly dirty fingers across the pristine blade.

"I think that was his Sheikah senses acting up again, wouldn't you say Malon?"

I turn to Link with a raised eyebrow, then look over at Malon. "He's a Sheikah?" I ask. "But he hasn't got the red eyes, or the—"

"My Dad isn't a Sheikah." She explains, merely making me even more confused. "After the Great War, he wanted to find a way to help other than just rebuilding the Ranch. He joined the Sheikah race to help defend those if a Great War ever struck again. But only those born into the Sheikah race has red eyes, so I'm only a Gerudo-Hylian mix."

I shake my head after a long time, grasping the concept of her family before realising one final thought. "We really should be going." I smile at Malon. "Thank-you again, Malon. And... make sure that Talon is okay. I'm honoured to have this, even if I don't want to take it from the family."

"I will." She responds before hugging me tightly. "Take care, okay?"

I merely nod when we pull apart, looking towards the not-so Kokiri on the Ranch. "You ready?" He nods, and I can tell that he's concealing his excitement. Navi cannot, however, from her place on his shoulder. She looks more excited than a child on their birthday surrounded by presents, something that I rarely got back in the Valley. Nisah was the best person to have in your face with a present on your birthday...

She probably hates those days now.

I shake my head more violently as I sheathe the scimitars, packing them into the saddlebags so they aren't taken away from me in Castle Town – as weapons in a reasonably peaceful place would never be a good thing. I hug Malon one last time before hoisting myself onto Luz, extending one hand to Link while hold the reigns with the other. With a soft smile, he takes my hand and follows me up.

"We'll see you soon, okay Malon?" I assure her with a smile, the fact that I have people like Malon and Link as well as the fact that I have scimitars sacred in the Desert in our saddlebag. "Take care of the Ranch, because Luz here certainly likes the pampering he never got much of in the Desert." A pang on pain hits my wound when I think of riding with Nisah as I pat Luz's neck, my stallion sensing my worry. "I'm fine, boy. Don't worry."

"I'll see you two soon." She steps back as Luz rears excitedly, the idea of exploring Hyrule getting all of us (even Malon, probably from our expressions) buzzed up. Luz sets off before I can do much about it, Link grabbing onto me in surprise, so I can barely hear Malon shouting: "Don't get in trouble!" before her voice is consumed by the wind of Luz's galloping across the grassy terrain.

_We get here, we find a way to help Nisah, and then we'll all be able to see the world together_, I tell myself with a small smile. _I couldn't imagine doing it with anyone else..._


	9. Chapter 9: Market

_"You may forget your childhood, but your childhood never forgets you."_

-Michael Dibdin-

Shards Of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 9: Market

~Interlude~

Nisah twirled the small blade in her hand, twisting the tip of the blade against her fingertip. She had lost her last blade to that scumbag of a "friend", so now she only had three of her prized possessions left: her throwing knives. Her great aunt, Zarna, had given them to her shortly before she had passed away in battle in her will. From then onward, she had kept them... until her "friend" had acted up and escaped.

The old Nisah had always trusted Ciren, until her King had shown Nisah how to _really_ live the Gerudo pride; something which Ciren obviously didn't want to have a part in.

Nisah shrugged. Ciren didn't matter any longer. She was off somewhere, no doubtingly dying from her wound or lost in a world that will end up killing her. Nisah was the Head of the Reds now, nothing more or nothing less, being recognised and raised to a higher level at the King's demand. These new levels had been introduced the morning after Ciren had left, but Nisah liked the new level – the _power_ it held.

_And once I get my hands on that Triforce..._ She mused with a grin, flashing her teeth at the silver blade. _The Gerudo may have a new leader._ Leaders like Nabooru were traitors, much like Ciren, and was having any information tortured out of her without even a moment of doubt.

The King was planning something for the White, what it was Nisah didn't know. Still, Nisah cared nothing for the White any longer. She may have promoted Nisah to being a Red, but it would have been classed as illegal in some book in the Library and meant nothing. The King had given Nisah the real power, but the Triforce would give the Red more power than she could ever desire.

Shifting into a lying position and draping herself over the seat in her new Chamber, a room dedicated the the new Head of the Reds, she smiled deviously. _Yes..._ Nisah smiled even more, more pearly white teeth being revealed to the blade. _The greatest power in our world. It will be mine... and not even His Majesty will stop me from getting my wish._

* * *

~Ciren~

I can't help but stare at the beauty of the Town, both mine and Link's mouth in the shape of O's. The houses are exactly the same as the ones on the Ranch, but the amount of greenery sprouting out of the open shutters is so beautiful. I hear the calls and grumbling of carts in the distance from the central part of the Town, people moving out of the central part of the Market and nodding towards us with a smile

"Welcome to the peaceful and prosperous town of Castle Town, young ones." The guard to our right greets happily, the Hylian Crest shining in the morning sunlight. "The central part of the Town is the daily Market, and—I haven't seen you two around here before... a Kokiri and a Gerudo?" His dark eyes watch us for a long time before shaking his head. "Enjoy your time here."

I can feel his eyes boring into the back of my head in particular as I guide Luz further into the Town...

The Market is crammed with people, reminding me a little of the Feast with a pang of pain, calls ringing through my ears of offers that "you simply cannot refuse". Small dogs skip past, their owners pushing past people to get them back on their leashes - and the stalls are bringing in hundreds of people in even this early.

With hesitation, I leap off of Luz with Link behind me and take my stallion's reigns into my hand. "This is incredible." Links whispers from beside me. I turn to him. "I don't think I've seen so many people in the same place at once before... it's amazing." He takes a step forwards, only for him to easily crash into a person before I can stop him. He steps back in surprise, looking back at me. "What's that crooked smile for?"

"Because you're an idiot." I tell him, my hand on my hip. "Stay close to me, kid. Let's just get that Stone to the "Princess of Destiny" and then we can... start living, I suppose." I shrug and end it there, just because I don't know what else to say. Link, thankfully, sees this and leaves it – or just doesn't understand...

He opens his mouth to speak, however we start to get surrounded by people who are attempting to get across the Market and around the horse in the way. He grabs my hand suddenly and pulls me through the crowd, Luz following behind and dodging who he can. Link pulls me across the Market square, dodging who he can as we rush past a fountain in the centre of the square and across to the other side where a large shop with a big mask decoration sits on.

Now that we aren't in the very centre of the Market, I can finally breathe. I stroke Luz's nose with my nose lovingly. It takes a long time for either of us to speak, but it is Link who breaks the silence first. "I think we should check out the Market first."

"What?"

He shrugs. "Well, I know that the Great Deku Tree wanted me to give this to the Princess of Destiny... but I just know that he would also want me to be seeing the world before I—" He shakes his head at the thought. "Never mind. I think it would be nice, anyway." I watch him for a long time. I never had a childhood like he had, so being around loads of people like this doesn't really faze me after being with the Gerudo for my entire life. But with the said boy here, it might help me see into a different childhood.

Or make my actual one worse.

"It would be a good idea." Navi says from Link's head as he leaps off of Luz, pulling out the wallet of Rupees that Malon also left for us. "And Link here will only be like a child on Potions until he actually sees a lot of the town, Ciren. I think that it would be a better idea to get his excitement out before we see the Princess of Destiny." They stare at me for a long time before I huff and let my shoulder slacken.

"Fine... you can go and see the—" He passes me a look. "_We_ can go and check out the Market, okay? You're such a child."

He smirks. "So are you. Unless you're an adult trapped in a child's body." I open my mouth to retort a response, only for my eyes to catch a group of three Hylian men getting themselves ready to go into the shop to the east of where we entered, next to the mask shop. The sign has a large target on it, an arrow sticking out of the centre and the main sign reading: Castle Town Archery Shop.

My eyes sparkle in delight as I guide Luz over to the alleyway in which we entered. "Go out into the Field. I'll be back soon, okay?" His brown eyes watch me hesitantly, yet moves into a gallop when I pass him a stern look. I don't want to leave Luz on his own after being stabbed in the back while riding him, but I don't want anybody stealing him or trying to get near him. He's my horse, not theirs.

Link looks a little concerned when I return, but brushes it off when he pieces together my intentions. "So, where to first?" I nod over to the Archery Shop and then look back with a slight pleading look. "It sounds fun... but I have no idea how to use a Bow and Arrow."

I smirk. "Watch and learn."

* * *

The bell shakes with a light twinkling sound as I push open the door to the Archery Shop. The door off to the left is open a little, but I can't see through it as Link closes the door behind me. At the sound of the bell, a large man walks in through the door and rests his arms on the counter. "Hello there, do you want to play the game? Shoot at the Rupees and try to get them all. Only 20 Rupees a game."

I nod and pass Link a pleading look, remembering that he had the money. He sighs and passes the large man a red Rupee. The man leans underneath the counter and pulls out a wooden Bow along with a Quiver of fifteen arrows. Stepping up onto the podium, those three Hylian men watch me with crossed arms. Passing them a glare, I draw back the Bow string with an arrow in a single movement and wait for the game to begin.

A string of Rupees begin flying around the course, but I don't strike straight away like I have heard the Hylians do a lot. Much like the Sheikah, you need to have the patience required to strike at the exact time.

The men begin mumbling behind me about what they think I will do, and why I am waiting for so long, but they are stunned into a silence when I strike all of the Rupees in a stream of arrows – taking them all out in the space of a few seconds. I smirk greatly as I lower the Bow, realising that I had taken out a few of the Rupees with a single arrow – so I still have six arrows remaining.

"Ciren..." Link breathes from behind me. "That was incredible!"

"I try." I smile even more as I place the Bow and Quiver back on the counter. "Thanks for letting me have a go. You've got good Bows here." I catch Link's eye and smirk as I reach for the door knob, however the man calls out and I spin around in curiosity.

He holds the Bow and Quiver. "No one has ever done that before. I know that the Gerudo are good, but I haven't seen anyone be that good before."

I shrug. "The Bow is my thing, I suppose."

"How did you learn to shoot like that?" I open my mouth to answer, only for my body to feel numb when I realise what my answer will be. _"Nisah, how come you want to show me how to shoot? I'm just a Green..."_ I shift my gaze downcast as the memory returns, her voice echoing around my brain. _"And a Gerudo nonetheless. Now pick up that Bow and show us what you're made of."_

When I open my mouth to reply, however, I hear a burst of excitement from outside when the door. A average-sized boy bursts in to the Archery Shop, seeming to be around my age, his dark hair falling around his crimson eyes. "The Gerudo are here!" He pants, resting on the door frame from the apparent running her had been doing moments ago.

My blood runs cold.

_The Gerudo... Nayru, tell me he is wrong._ The boy holds a scrap of paper in his hand as his eyes cross over the people in the room. The three Hylians, done with watching my archery skills, leave; pushing the boy out of the way in the process with a laugh. "The Gerudo?" The Archery Shop owner wonders in disbelief. "Kaei, don't be messing with me. You know how much I hate the messing around, K—"

"I'm _not_ messing with you, Theo. I swear on my life that I am not—" His eyes soon fall onto me as I subconsciously shuffle closer to the only boy I know in here. The boy's eyes flicker between the sheet of paper and myself, and I know near automatically what he holds in his hand.

I must be seen as so much of a threat that I've been placed on a wanted poster...

I should be offended and angry, but it's rather amusing to me. The King is afraid of a twelve year-old. _That isn't even right_, I can't help but think to myself with a smirk. The boy, noting my smirk, drops the sheet of paper and his eyes shift between anger and hesitation – a mix I never knew worked until now, I suppose. The anger wins, however, and he lunges for me...

And I react with violence myself by knocking him back with a clean punch to the cheek.

He staggers back, clutching the cheek, his eyes narrowing towards me as I bounce on the balls of my feet; my fists still raised just in case this Kaei tries to go at me again. Before I can retaliate myself, Link softly touches my arm. I whirl around and pass him a glare that he... actually doesn't react to. He offers back a soft look. He doesn't want me fighting, as much as I want to.

I wish he was there when I fought Aveil that one time.

My shoulders slump in "defeat". "Fine." I whisper. "But I need to see what's going on outside." I pass a look of apology over to Theo before grabbing Kaei's clothes and forcing him to stare right at me. "Try anything like that again, and I won't go so easy on you. All right?" He simply nods, and I slip out of the Archery Shop before either Link, Kaei, or Theo can say any more on the matter.

Long live Gerudo pride...

The Market is awash with people, but less than there was when we had first gotten here. Mothers, fathers, children, and all of the fifth cousins twice-removed are all here as well; standing around the edge of the Market, their errands here forgotten by the _new_ arrivals. Guardians of children hold the latter close to them as the jet black horse trots through the entrance to the Market - three horses, two white and the other black also.

The King is at the front, obviously, handing a dark glare to the audience of people while holding a smug smirk as he snaps his head towards a view ahead. Aveil rides on the left behind him, Izia on the right of him, and just behind the King – almost next to him – is— "Goddesses..." I breathe, stepping forwards as Link shuts the door behind him. "Nisah..."

Her head his held high, the scarlet uniform Nabooru gave us on the night of the Feast still being worn by her. She casts no glance towards myself, and neither do the other Gerudo. It is only Ganondorf who does, and his eyes twinkle with recognition. His hand not holding the reigns of his steed twitches for a scimitar, however he has no weapons on show (strangely, for the Gerudo King) so he cannot attack.

And yet, he doesn't even call for people to go after me. He merely continues onward towards what he was looking at before: Hyrule Castle.

I tilt my head as the Gerudo leave, leaving behind a silent crowd. _Why didn't he send people after me?_ I ask myself silently, moving towards the edge of the crowd. _There's a flipping wanted poster for me and—_ "I'm so sorry!" I gasp when I walk into someone. The dark hood covers their face, but I can see a curl of red hair sticking out of the edge of the hood. "I didn't mean to—"

They raise their hand at me and walk off without anything else to say. I watch as they leave, their aura leaving me more confused about the lack of attacks against me with Ganondorf. _Maybe it was because we're in a public area. He wouldn't ruin whatever reputation he has here..._ Link walks up to me. "Hey. Is that...?"

"The King?" I cut in. "Yeah. And the one in the Red uniform is Nisah."

There's a long silence between the two of us as the crowd dissipates and goes back to their usual business. "Just keep out of their sights, and we'll be fine." He pauses. "You know what, we can go to the Princess of Destiny later on before sundown. But first, we're going to get your mind off of everything, okay?" I open my mouth to object automatically, but he's all ready grabbed my wrist and is carting me off towards a random shop – my mind confused over all that has happened already...

* * *

~Interlude~

Kaei watched as the two went off to another shop, casting his eyes down to the wanted poster every few moments. He didn't know what to think of the Gerudo, and _her_ in particular. He had never despised the Gerudo, but after what they did in the Hyrulean Civil War... he just didn't know any longer.

The Civil War had began when the races had begun to wonder about the ideas of the Triforce and the Sacred Realm more than usual, and many began searching for the latter so they could take the former for their own. The Gerudo made deals with other races about helping them acquire the Triforce, but the Gerudo were the only race that were not pacifists about the whole event.

When the races realised that they were losing vast amounts of their people to the efforts in finding the Triforce, the Gorons, Sheikah, Hylians and Zoras began turning on each other – creating the Civil War that Gerudo said they were playing no part in, when it was actually them who had been killing off people within the races.

The War raged on for years on end, and many family members of Kaei had fought and died for Hyrule, and it took a long time before the people turned on the Gerudo – and the new King of Hyrule stepped up to unite the rations against one common enemy: the Desert Folk. The other races fought the Gerudo across the Valley until the were forced to surrender.

The King then cut off the Desert Folk from Hyrule, and it was left like that until the new Gerudo King – Ganondorf – became the new leader and pleaded to the Hylian King that the Gerudo should have a place back in Hyrule, as the past should be placed in the past and nothing like the War would happen again with the new King of the Gerudo.

It took a long time, but the King did accept the offer no more than seven years ago now.

Kaei had no reason to leap at the nameless Gerudo like that, but he felt _something_ in him that made him do it. It was something from the past, something about the Civil War which he had barely been born into, that sparked that something in him. She fought back like the arrogant Gerudo that they were, nothing that he didn't expect, but there was something in her eyes as well.

She looked... almost lost.

Kaei shrugged, screwing up the poster into a ball and setting it alight with a simple spell; allowing the ashes of it to be picked up by the fresh breeze. Kaei had a bad feeling that he would be crossing paths with that Gerudo again, and they would both have to be civil with each other...


	10. Chapter 10: Princess

_"The night is darkening round me,  
The wild winds coldly blow;  
But a tyrant spell has bound me  
__And I cannot, cannot go._

_[…]_

_Clouds beyond clouds above me,  
__Wastes beyond wastes below;  
__But nothing drear can move me;  
__I will not, cannot go."_

_-Spellbound, Emily Brontë-_

Shards Of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 10: Princess

"Ciren... are you sure that this is a good idea?" Link asks hesitantly from behind me. I grab onto the set of vines against the tall wall before me, giving a grunt in response as I begin clambering up the vines. "What if we get caught? We could get in loads of trouble and I won't even be able to give the Kokiri Emerald to the Princess of—"

"Link, for the sake of Din will you be quiet for two minutes. We really _are_ going to get caught if you keep talking." I hiss back, keeping my tone soft so he knows that I don't meant to be properly angry with him. I push myself up to the very top of the wall and pull him up the rest of the way, getting a great view of the Palace from here. The sun is setting now, and I decided that we should get this Stone to the Princess before the sun went down now that I felt better.

Even if me telling Link I was okay was a complete and utter lie...

Why _would_ I be all right, exactly, if I had just seen my best friend underneath the leader that I once looked up to who is now is now a very questionable man? It's not like I can change at the drop of the hat, and not Link's either. I think Link had (and still does, I suppose) the joy of having a childhood that most would think is normal, which is far from how I was bought up. He believes that even with our different races I am the same as he, when it is far from the truth.

Nonetheless, the less he knows is the better. I take a seat on the grass and gesture from him to do so as well. "Look, the girls from my home who come back have normally gone to the Court here – the place where all of the Nobles and what not go to find their "soul mate". Anyway, I've heard that the Palace isn't open to civilians – obviously – and closes at sundown." I gesture to the sun and then at us. "Saying that we want to see the Princess will only put us back at square one, and I don't want to go there."

He watches me for a while, trying to get his head around the idea of "Courtly love", only to shake his head soon after beginning the thought and getting onto his feet. "Come on..." He sighs. "I think I'm going to be the one to stop you from doing all of this stuff on a regular basis, but this time only is the time where we actually need to get into the Palace."

I smirk wolfishly at him as I get to my feet, despite him holding a hand out to me, dusting myself off as I eye the guards ahead. I can't play the "I got lost in Castletown and need to find my King" card, as just about every Gerudo in existence who has come into Castletown has played that card – and they'll know that I am lying.

We creep down the cliff-like wall and down a set of other vines back onto the ground behind the gate that once blocked us. I resist the urge to pull a face at the guard with their back to me. I guess not all of the "normal" childhood traits are gone from my system... "Come on." I whisper to him, dragging him behind a nearby tree as a guard moves past us.

All of the sneaking around Nisah and I used to do is all worth it now.

The guards are mainly dotted are the pathway leading up the gates and drawbridge of the Castle, so the grassy part in between is relatively empty. Still, I make sure that we keep away from the intended pathway as while Link blends in a little, I stick out like a sore thumb. We creep across as slowly as possible, leaping behind the trees when a guard hears a twig snapping.

Obviously it's Link who steps in all of the wrong places. Not Gerudo trained whatsoever...

By the time that we reach the gates before the entrance to the Castle, I huff quietly when I see no way onward except into the eyes of the guards. "Goddesses, why have you chosen _now_ to screw this up for us?" I question the air frantically, resting my back up against a nearby wall. Link ignores me.

"Ciren, there's something over here."

I don't bother looking. "Navi, this place is gonna be guarded like Hell. There's not going to be any chinks in this armour."

"Ciren..." Link joins in, moving away from me and off in Navi's direction. "Navi's right. There's something over there." _You too?_ I sigh and place my foot against the wall, pushing myself away from it and re-joining them. I open my mouth to comment on how they are merely staring at a wall... but I soon realise that there is a thick set of overgrowing vines crossing over the wall.

My eyes watch the path that is created by these. They lead up onto the top of the wall and-over that blasted gate and those irritating guards.

Well, it seems that there is a chink in _this_ armour...

Hylians... ugh.

I smile and clamber up the vines, helping Link up after Navi hides back in his hat. We leap over the edge of the wall and land harshly against the ground (well I land perfectly fine, it's just Link who has the problem with jumping from high-ish ledges), sneaking around the back of the guards before they can spot us. I breathe a sigh of relief when we pass them, moving around the edge of the Palace now that the drawbridge is shut.

As soon as we get out of the view of the guards, I follow the moat until it goes into a black grate; noticing that there is a door ahead of us. Holding a finger up to Link, I hold my ear against the door. There aren't any footsteps coming from inside, or any other sounds to be quite honest. Nodding to myself, I slowly push open the door and head inside.

A small corridor, lined with grey stones and large windows, leads straight into a large open area filled with hedges and greenery that I don't see often in the Valley – the only greenery I ever saw was Leevers... and they weren't all that nice. I drag my hand along the growing plants, taking in each of their scents and filling my nostrils with life.

"You don't know what it's like do you? To have so many plants in one place?" I shake my head at Link's comment, not looking away as I take a flower into my hand. _It's to delicate for the Gerudo..._ "I'm used to it, what with being in a Forest for my entire life and all." I smile as I get back onto my and notice something ahead of us.

Walking through what seems to be the Palace Gardens is a young girl, her hair covered completely by white and pink coloured cloth; a few spots of bright blonde hair showing where the cloth cannot hide. He dress is of the same to colours, a dark blue under-shirt underneath the dress to cover her arms as well. Her white dress flows elegantly to the grass below her feet, her light pink shoes sticking out as she walks with a tight posture.

I bet you that she doesn't know how to slouch...

She takes a bright blue flower into her hand and looks up at the statue ahead of her, most of it covered by a wall to me. When her eyes move this way, they see Link and then lock onto me. She probably has had very little contact with the Gerudo race, no doubt, and has grown up with the stereotypes about our race in—

"_Halt_! You are trespassing on the Palace grounds!" I snap my head away from her as Link grabs my arm, my eyes noting a group of three guards rushing towards us. I roll my eyes a little as I stare them down. "You must leave immediately, otherwise you will sleep in the dungeons for—why is a Gerudo scum-bag like you here? And with a sliver of grass as well, no doubt!"

The other guards laugh at the first guard's comment, and I open my mouth to comment when I hear a rather feminine voice shout from behind: "How _dare_ you treat these two with such disrespect?!" The guards all turn with a gasp as the girl from earlier walks quickly over to us, her hands still clasped in front of her body. "The Gerudo are honoured guests, and any partners that they wish to bring with them into the Palace. Silence your tongues!"

"W-We apologise, Your Grace." The guards whisper in unison, their tongues giving off their guilt as they speak and avoid "Her Grace's" eyes. _Of course these guards are so easily manipulated. Like puppets, I suppose._ They move away from us both without so much as a glance towards Link or myself, and I am glad of it honestly.

The setting sun reflects of her eyes as she extends a hand towards me, very against what she must have been taught – from the glint of rebellion in her eyes – which I shake as delicately as I can. "I must apologise for their foul behaviour, dear Red." _Clearly educated as well, I guess._ "And to you, young man. Before we properly introduce ourselves, however, let us speak in a much more quiet place where none shall disturb us."

She turns away from us, her dress spinning around much slower behind her and adding to her elegance. She begins walking forwards, but Link and I cannot help but fall behind her; as the power she gives off is something that I cannot stand up to in Hylian territory. "Who is this girl?" I whisper, hoping that he would know, feeling rather dumb when I realise. "She's the Princess of Hyrule..."

I may not have been into Hyrule properly before, but I certainly know who the King's daughter – King Daphnes III – is. She soon leads us into a quiet Courtyard at the end of the Palace Gardens, a place filled with flowers bursting from the walls and grass in the centre of the Courtyard, a small body of water sitting contently around the grass part of the Courtyard.

She walks very elegantly towards the small set of steps ahead, where she sits down on them in front of a window. "Please, sit." Link and I do so on the grass. "I know that it must seem strange that I did not let you go straight away, but I must inquire about a particular subject."

"Anything, Your Grace." I say quietly, following the etiquette even if it does not fully apply to myself.

"I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule." She introduces. "But it seems that you all ready knew that, am I not correct?" I nod, but Link is silent. "Much like my Mother, I have been having dreams in dire times – much like the ones she had before the tragic Civil War had broken out. My dreams have been telling me that a boy from the Forest would appear in my time of need, followed by a Guardian Fairy, holding a green and shining Stone. My dreams have also said that danger would arise from the Valley west, but a saviour would also appear from there as well."

I look over to Link, who does not know how to act in this situation. I think that he kind of understands that the Princess is much higher up in society, but not what etiquette comes along with it. Nonetheless, he pulls off his hat to reveal a sleeping Navi (of all times that she could have slept...) and the Kokiri Emerald from his bag; passing it to the Princess.

"So the legends are about to come true..." She muses quietly, though I do manage to hear it. "May I ask of your names, please?" However, before I can ask more about what on earth she is talking about, a voice suddenly cuts into the Courtyard; startling us all.

"Princess Zelda..." A deep, _very_ familiar voice, says loudly; his booming voice going against the etiquette, as one should never address royalty with their name in Hylian etiquette. We all turn and my blood goes cold as my eyes lock onto Ganondorf himself, who hasn't noticed me yet. "I have just met with your Father and decided to meet with yourself."

The Princess rushes onto her feet, her face stern once more as she goes against the etiquette just like he had done. "Ganondorf, entering my Courtyard without permission is an _insult_. You are here as our honoured guest, but you are not allowed to go into areas forbidden to yourself." _For a Hylian Princess, she sure has a lot of irritation towards the King..._

He bows his head, placing his fist over his heart. "My apologies... may I—" His golden eyes lock onto myself, much like the Princess had done in the Palace Gardens. "Is there a chance that I may be able to take my follower out of this conversation for just a minute?" Both the Princess and Link pass me a concerned look, but I shake my head and get onto my feet; finding myself startled when he grabs my arm and pulls me out of the Courtyard and against the nearest wall out of their sights.

"What the _Hell_ have you done to my Sisters?!" I hiss. "The only reason that I have left is because of whatever _you_ did to them!" I shouldn't make accusations so quickly, honestly, but after what we saw in the Spirit Temple...

He snarls at me and pushes me further against the wall, his fingers locked around my throat – but not so much that I lose oxygen. "A Gerudo who isn't loyal to her King is nothing but a traitor, Ciren, and should be executed on sight." He looks away for a moment, scowling. "But being in such a public place... we are going to have to settle this when we are out of Castle Town."

"But you—"

His grip around my throat tightens dramatically. "Be aware of your surroundings when outside of the Hylian territory, Ciren, as keeping an eye open when you sleep may just save your life right now. Maybe I'll kill that boy first, though. It might just put things into perspective for—" A guard is coming our way, and he unlocks his iron grip automatically. "So stay out of places where you must not enter, am I understood?"

Forced to play along, I nod and the guard carries on with his business. Ganondorf walks the other way, and I rush back into the Courtyard – where Link and the Princess are conversing in low tones, their eyes snapping up when they see me. "Ciren!" Link calls. "Are you all right?"

I smirk. "Nope, I'm half left as well." He smiles back at me and I dump myself onto the grass, ignoring the concerned looks towards my neck. "So what were you talking about while I was gone?" The Princess gives we a soft smile as she gestures back towards the entrance to the Courtyard.

"That was Ganondorf, the King of the Gerudo, as you know already."Although he swears his alligence to my Father, I know that he is not sincere. I know that he is the danger that lurks from the Desert, and we must stop him before he gets what he desires." I raise my eyebrow at her, not fully understanding.

"The Triforce was left at the point where the Goddesses left this land, which we call the Sacred Realm currently. There is a physical way to get into the Sacred Realm to get the Triforce, and is the main reason why most Wars have raged across our land. By gathering the three Spiritual Stones, this Stone being one of them—" She holds up the Kokiri Emerald. "—you may enter the Sacred Realm from the Temple of Time in Castle Town."

I raise my eyebrow again. "There has to be another thing, otherwise it would be open to everyone."

The Princess pulls out an ocarina with a spark of golden magic. The ocarina is dark blue, and has a Triforce emblem near the top of the instrument. "This is the Ocarina of Time, a magical instrument passed down through the Royal Family. One who holds the three Spiritual Stones and plays a specific song in front of the alter in the Temple of Time will gain access to the Sacred Realm, but no one knows of the Ocarina outside of my family."

"So we need to stop Ganondorf from getting the Stones and the Ocarina?" Link asks finally, making the Princess nod. "Where are the other two Stones?"

"They belong to two other races in Hyrule: the Gorons and the Zoras." She pauses. "I have heard of disturbances in both of these places, and other evidence seems to point to Ganondorf being the cause of the outset of the chaos." She hugs the Ocarina close to her body. "But I do not know of how to stop Ganondorf from getting the Stones, as I can protect the Ocarina of Time."

My eyes widen when I hear Link's voice say something absolutely _insane_. "Then why don't we get the other two Stones?"

"Link, I'm the one to have crazy ideas, not you!" I exclaim, even though I do admire his courage.

He shakes his head. "No. I do have logic in this." He pauses. "If we get the other two Stones, then Ganondorf cannot get them from the other races - and therefore can't get the Ocarina or entrance to the Sacred Realm." I look down at the grass before me, resisting the urge to pluck it from the ground. "See, I do have some method to my plans..."

"That's incredible!" The Princess cries out, making us both look at her. "I shall protect the Ocarina of Time with all of my power. He shall _not_ have it! And then we can get the Triforce before Ganondorf does and defeat him!"

My eyes widen even me. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. If we keep the keys to the Sacred Realm away from him, then why do we need to _use_ the Triforce?"

"To protect the land of the Goddesses!" She retorts, then pulls back. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to burst out like that. We can figure out what to do when we get all of the keys to the Triforce together, all right?" I sigh and nod, not quite sure about what all of this quest will entail. I look over at Link, who looks like he believes her. "You may stay here tonight if you would like, or I could get an escort to Kakariko Village if you are more comfortable?"

I hold my hands up. "It's fine. I heard things from my Sisters about Kakariko Village and where it is. And I don't think that staying here or having an escort will help our cases of being trespassers..." She nods and clasps our hands tightly, giving us one last look of encouragement as we leave - holding the Kokiri Emerald and Ocarina of Time close to her chest.

On the way out, I can't help but ask Link: "Why do you believe her so easily?"

"I-I don't know... something is telling me that she speaks the truth, and I wouldn't go against the Great Deku Tree's words." I shut up as soon as he mentions the Great Deku Tree, knowing that it must still be difficult for him. "But I guess being outside of the Forest for so long proves Mido right: I was never a real Kokiri."

I stop him with a hand on his shoulder, making him turn and avoid my eyes. "Who cares about what that kid says? You're alive, so it doesn't matter who or what you are: as long as you have the will to carry on." I pause and drop my tone. "The will I'm losing after seeing what the King did to my Sisters..."

Link has no response, and I am glad that he keeps quiet for once.


	11. Chapter 11: Doubts

_**Author's Note:**_ I'm not very happy with this chapter. It's probably the shortest off all of the chapters currently posted, and I just don't seem to know what's up with it really. So if you see anything, don't hesitate to tell me; I'll really appreciate it!

_"The difference between a brave man and a coward is that a coward thinks twice before jumping into a cage with a lion. The brave man doesn't know what a lion is. He just thinks that he does."_

-Charles Bukowski-

Shards Of Time

_An Ocarina of Time FanFiction_

Chapter 11: Doubts

We reach Kakariko Village by the time the moon is almost fully up in the sky. A nice woman named Anju allowed us to stay in her Inn for a reduced price; as much as we wanted to pay at the actual price. Link was already tired, so he went out like a light. Myself, however, couldn't find myself falling asleep. I stared at the ceiling, sat out on the small balcony to bathe underneath the moonlight, but nothing worked.

So now I sit out here – alone, I must add – as the sky above me lightens up to signal morning. The children here strapped a swing to the main tree in the Village, so I let myself think for a while on it before the kids waken up to take it from me. I am not afraid of the "King", but I am anxious on what he could do. I left his land to pursue a life out of boundaries, betraying him of my trust.

And now that I have done that, he now has the right to crush my plans and gain what he actually wants out of Hyrule.

Then there's Nisah, and the other Sisters of mine. Nisah hates my guts, and my Sisters apparently do as well, and either I need to find a way to make them see the light – or she's going to be after me once the King gets what he wishes from out of Hyrule. I lean my head against the rope with a sigh. "Fate seems to have a sense of humour when it comes to me, huh?"

"Fate isn't a nice thing in general." I raise and eyebrow and turn around, finding Link standing behind me, watching me with anxious eyes. He looks up to the sky ."You're up early. You must have a lot on your mind to be up this early. Are you all right?" I shrug and look upwards at the lightening skies above me. He steps closer and leans against the tree trunk. "What's wrong?"

I smile at his persistence. "I'm just thinking about the King and my Sisters. Nothing much." He raises an eyebrow at me. "I just wanted to start a new life away from the King and his controlling nature, but it seems that he's screwing up my life no matter where he treads or where I go in Hyrule." He watches me for a long time before moving forwards and embracing me tightly. "Ugh, I didn't need all of this for it..."

"Yes, you do." Navi responds from nowhere, flying up to us and enjoying the conversation at hand. "You need a hug once in a while to lift your spirits." I groan in response and we finally pull away. "I remember the Great Deku Tree saying something about the Spiritual Stone of Fire being in a place called "Goron City". Ciren, have you heard anything about that from your Sisters?"

I shrug. "A little. I just know that the Gorons like to hug, and they're made of rock, so... I'm not looking forward to conversing with these in the slightest."

* * *

Before the sun is fully up, we slip through the iron gate leading up to Death Mountain. The air is slightly colder up here, as it is whenever you go higher up in altitude, and yet some forms of shrubbery still manage to survive in places along the rocky road. With out swords and scimitars drawn, we kill some spider-like enemies (Navi calls them "Tektites", even though she's never been outside of the Forest before...) and head up the Death Mouth Trail.

Death Mountain soon comes into view, the tall mountain surrounded by a white cloud at the very summit, yet we have to turn away when the Trail leads us elsewhere. "The City has to be _somewhere_ around here..." Link comments quietly, getting up onto a mysterious rock partway up the Trail in order to see more. _Wait... "Those weird-ass Gorons love to curl up and do some sun-bathing or whatever in the day. Don't sit on 'em". That's what Malinda had said when she came back..._

"Link, get off that—" The rock unravels itself and stands, sending the Kokiri flying onto the ground. I bate my lip, but I can't help but laugh. "—rock... Link, are you all right?" He stands up, disorientated for a few moments. "I think you just sat on a Goron. You can tick that off the Bucket List..." He shakes his head as I quieten myself down. "Uh, hey." I say to the rock. "Do you know where Goron City is?"

He chuckles deeply. "Why wouldn't I? It's straight up ahead." We nod and carry on. "But don't go near Darunia. He's not wanting any visitors!" _Oh great...__ he'll have the Spiritual Stone, won't he?_ Nonetheless, we carry on up the Trail which soon leads downwards into the actual mountain. The path leads towards an entrance decorated with Triforce designs, and I know that we're here.

I pull Link inside, Navi flying into his hat for extra warmth (even though we're near an active volcano, you know), heading down the steps as quickly as we can to get inside. The City inside is a lot warmer, and I adapt very easily after being in the Desert for so long. Navi soon decides to re-emerge, and Link begins to complain about the heat – but I flash him a look that keeps him quiet.

"NO! I am _not_ giving _anyone_ the Spiritual Stone of Fire!" A deep voice bellows. "Not after that Ganondorf tried to take it and destroyed our crops! Now _go_, before I crush you to dust!" I hear small footsteps rushing out, and both Link and I look over the edge to see none other than Kaei rushing out of a room right at the bottom of the City.

I smirk, noticing some steps leading down further into the City. "Hey, why don't we go and convince this person to give _us_ the Spiritual Stone of Fire?" I wonder. "It'll really annoy that Sheikah, _and_ we'll be helping the Princess as well!" I don't give him time to answer before I go alone down the set of stairs, Link and Navi running after me as I go. _Give me a chance to annoy that Sheikah, and I'll take it any day._

It doesn't take that long to get to the bottom of the steps, or to notice something. Navi says it before me, though. "No one is around... what happened here?" I open my mouth to comment with anything, but the Sheikah gets there first.

"Ever since Ganondorf wanted the Stone, he attacked the Dodongo's Cavern beneath us so the Gorons could get their rocks to eat. A lot have died from either starvation or dying when they tried to enter the Cavern themselves, and the others have moved away to find some other form of food that they can survive on until the rocks are edible again." He raises an eyebrow at me. "What the Hell are you doing here?"

"In fact..." I roll my eyes at him, jabbing my finger back towards Link. "I helping Link right here as we get some things for the Princess of Hyrule." I smirk at him. "Guess you didn't think that we would be doing such things, huh? Well, guess again."

He snorts. "And where is he then, if he's not behind you?"

"Huh?" I look over my shoulder, not wanting to turn back back to Kaei, only to see that Link is gone. He's pulling up the layer of material draped over the room where Kaei was just thrown out of, and is stupidly going inside. "Bloody child..." I run up to him. "Link, what the _Hell_ are you—?!"

"Shush!" He hisses, making me raise my eyebrow at him. "I'm trying to get this Spiritual Stone." I watch him as he slips inside, and I follow him inside after a few moments; making sure that Kaei doesn't follow. The dark corridor leads into a large room where a Goron with a massive set of facial hair sits, more so slumped, against the back wall; staring at the red Stone in his hand.

Link gulps as he approaches the large Goron. "Um, excuse me Sir... but are you Darunia?" He grunts in response. "We're here from the Princess to—"

"Gather the Stones." He stares at Link. "Who _really_ sent you, kid? That Sheikah? Or Ganondorf? They're both cowards, so why act like one of them?" I grit my teeth in frustration. How _dare_ he say that sort of thing! Not being able to hold it back, I storm into the room and push Link aside; pointing my finger at the Goron. He speaks before I can, though. "And another? How many cowards _are_ there in Hyrule?!"

I grind my teeth. "You can't talk about been cowardly when you're letting your people die out there!" Link steps back from my tone as I gesture back towards where we came in from. Darunia looks up at me, his eyes burning with anger. "Why don't you go out there and do something?! And if you died, then your people would see you as a hero rather than a coward!"

He gets onto his feet very slowly, rising to his full height over me; making me gulp slightly, but I maintain my composure. "You want to try and do something about it, squirt? Then go and die in that Cavern, I'm sure your parents wouldn't care." My lips part, and I can see in his eyes that he has struck a nerve. I bite my lip, but stare him down still. He drops his tone. "If you want to prove yourself worthy of this—" He holds up the Stone to my face. "—then go to the Cavern and cleanse it. I might think about it then."

"I'll show you." I growl, pulling Link's arm so he's by my side. "And so will he. You don't realise who you're talking to." Link nods beside me, which I am thankful of, and we both leave together. I completely ignore Kaei, even if Link does take a moment to wave at him while Kaei glares at me, and we clamber back up the steps. "Long live the Gerudo Pride..." I breathe.

* * *

By the time we reach the outside again, a weight is suddenly pushed down on my shoulders. _People have died in these Caverns... what if I do as well._ These doubts are apparently plastered on my face, however, because Link catches my arm before we get too far out of Goron City. "Hey, are you all right?" I avoid his eyes for a moment, deep in thought. "Just ignore Darunia, he's just... upset, I suppose."

Navi flies out from under Link's hat. "It's true."

I wave them off, getting out of his grasp and walking off. "I'm going into the Caverns alone." I resolve, sparking a reaction between the two of them. "I'll cleanse the Caverns, and I'll make this right." I keep walking, and neither of them move for a while. I can just go inside, come out – hopefully – and then get the Stone for them. I'll prove Darunia wrong, and the Princess will have her damn Stone.

It's a win-win... if I get out.

"No." I turn around, watching as Link walks towards me. I blink at him. "If you're doing this, then I'm doing it to." I shake my head and try to move away again, but he grabs my hand. I sigh heavily and pull away, but he doesn't stop. "I said that I was going to help get the Stones for the Princess, so I will—"

I whirl around, startling him. "Don't you understand?! I'm doing this so neither of you die!" I breathe heavily, dropping my tone. "If I die, then my Sisters won't care, neither will the King, and I haven't met enough people to mourn for me. If you die, you've got a whole Forest of people who care about you. Even for you Navi." I pause and sigh, pushing my hands through my hair. "You have a family and I don't, there's a difference there."

Letting my shoulders slump forwards, I finally turn back around and leave them be. As much as it hurt to say it, it's true. There's next to none who care about me, being that whatever happened in the Valley changed all of that, and it'll be fine if I show my courage and go into there. However, something suddenly grabs me by the waist from behind; and I gasp in alarm, drawing my scimitars. Searching around, I find none other than Link hugging my fiercely – Navi hugging my shoulder too.

"Wha...?"

"We care about you." Link whispers quietly. "And we'll follow you until the end." I stare down, my tense shoulders relaxing a little. When he finally pulls away, he breathes out a laugh from my stunned expression as Navi sits on his shoulder. "You stayed with me when I thought that I was going to die from being out of the Forest for too long, and I didn't... so we're staying with you."

I look down at the ground, feeling sad for a moment. I don't want them to come with me and die, but I won't be able to stop them. They're showing courage while I am being cowardly, and I can't do that. So after a few moments, however, I smirk casually at him. "Sure, I guess you two could tag along..."


End file.
